A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Scottsdale, AZ
What is sun damage?
Model showing signs of sun damage.
Scottsdale – Many patients ask what is sun damage? Here’s a quick and short version of what happens.
Sun damage occurs as a result of your skin being exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays. As UV rays are absorbed, they may cause cells to enter into photo-excited states, which may lead to the formation of free radicals in some skin cells. Free radicals lead to oxidation and cellular damage to occur. UV rays can also produce changes or mutations in the DNA (your genetic information) within the skin cells. Depending on which changes occur, the cells to may malfunction and act differently than normal cells.
With repeated exposure to UV rays, the skin is continually abused, and over time it struggles to repair the signs of sun damage. As the cells begin cellular replication and keratinization, the DNA changes caused by the UV rays are copied into new cells.
Eventually, visual changes on your skin surface may appear including hyper-pigmentation, uneven skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles. More serious conditions like actinic keratosis and even skin cancer could result when your DNA is damaged.
| Print article | This entry was posted by AB Guerra, MD, FACS on March 2, 2010 at 11:03 am, and is filed under Facial Surgery. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
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Radiesse®: A versatile dermal filler.
about 3 months ago - 3 comments
Scottsdale – I continue to be impressed by how versatile Radiesse® has become over the last few years. Plastic surgeons are now injecting Radiesse® in: Nasolabial folds or laugh lines. Marionette lines. Cheeks. Submalar or below the cheek Nose correction. Jaw Line and Jowls. Mental Crease & Chin. Oral Commissure or corners of the mouth.
Nia 24 – Protection For Tough Times…
about 3 months ago - No comments
Scottsdale – This summer in Arizona is going to be a hot one! When exposed to the sun’s UV radiation, our skin can really take a beating. Let me recommend the Nia 24 line-up of products to protect and restore your skin from sun damage. Use your Nia24 Skin Strengthening Complex Repair Cream in the
Dermabrasion: Achieving Excellent Results.
about 3 months ago - No comments
Scottsdale – Last month we introduced a blog post on dermabrasion, a plastic surgery procedure used to improve the appearance of the skin and reduce wrinkles and other signs of aging. Dermabrasion involves the mechanical removal of the damaged top layer of the facial skin using a high speed rotary wheel. Dermabrasion is performed using
Don’t forget high SPF at higher altitudes…
about 5 months ago - No comments
Scottsdale – As if living in the desert was not enough… apparently, going to higher ground increases sun damage to your skin. Reuters news story shows higher SPF 70+ formulation was very effective in protecting skin from sunburns under extreme ultraviolet light and sporting conditions. In the study, 43 golfers playing for an average of
Looking old? New study says its not your genes!
about 8 months ago - No comments
Scottsdale – Got wrinkles? Well, it may not be your genes! A newly published study from the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, demonstrates how environmental factors can affect aging and skin cancer risks. According to the research, the team studied 130 twins, 18 to 77 years old, who lived mostly in
No more scowling! What you can do.
about 8 months ago - No comments
Scottsdale – Do you sometimes walk by a mirror and catch yourself scowling? It happens to all of us. Those wrinkles that form between the eyebrows, can be tough to reduce. There are a few ways of reducing the frown lines that I am going to blog about today. Before we get to that, let’s
New study: Botox used to treat unsightly (hypertrophic) scars.
about 9 months ago - 1 comment
Scottsdale – Hypertrophic scarring is best described as a refractory skin disease. Patients with this disease experience major physical deformities, restricted range of motion, pain, and itching where this scarring occurs. Because the basis for hypertrophic scar has not been fully elucidated, the clinical management of these thickened scars remains a problem. A recent article
A Comparison of popular Short Scar Facelift Techniques.
about 9 months ago - No comments
Scottsdale – Short scar facelift is very popular among younger women seeking facial rejuvenation. The procedure has several advantages including reducing the length of the scar. With this procedure, the scar is limited to an area front of the ear and patients avoid an extensive scar in the hairline behind the ear. Additionally, short scar
Aging in identical twins – factors contributing to an older appearance
about 1 year ago - No comments
Scottsdale, AZ – An interesting new study published in the international journal, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, involves sets of twins and makes an assessment of how environmental factors have affected their facial aging. In the study, 186 pairs of identical twins completed a comprehensive questionnaire, and digital images were obtained. An independent panel reviewed the
