MD Dermatology

  Unilateral Dermatoheliosis (Source: New England Journal of Medicine 2012) Photoaging is defined as a process of premature aging of the skin caused by continuous and long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or from a synthetic source such as tanning device. It affects primarily the area of exposed skin especially over the face, ear, neck and hands. Clinically, it is characterized by early appearance of irregular pigmentation, prominent capillary blood vessels, lentigenes (age spots), wrinkles, thickening and laxity of the skin. Chronic exposure further predispose to formation of pre-cancerous lesions such as actinic keratoses which can lead to skin cancer. Severity of photoaging is dependent on the duration of exposure to UV light as well as the patient’s skin type. Fair-skinned individuals with blonde or red hair usually burn easily upon exposure to direct sunlight and are at increased risk. Darker-skinned people show fewer signs of...