The Sun's Invisible Damage to Your Skin

Your skin's been overexposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays. And you know that over time those rays can cause permanent changes like lines, permanent discoloration and sagging. What may be harder to believe is the sun damage you can't see. Here's some simple sun/skin science.

Deep beneath its surface, skin contains enzymes. Some enzymes protect against sun damage, others repair skin after damage, still others build collagen and elastin (the fibers that make skin elastic, plump, supple and smooth) and others break the fibers down.

Unprotected sun-exposed skin allows in UV rays, activating the destroyer enzymes, which then do their work of tearing up the elastic fibers. The rays also damage skin's DNA, and since it carries important self- replication codes the new, post-sun collagen and elastin produced by the repair enzymes are kind of like Brand X --- inferior to the undamaged original. This invisible process gradually shows up as lined, leathery, baggy skin, skin that lacks high-quality collagen and elastin.

Don't count on heredity to protect you. More of the sun's dangerous UVB rays are reaching earth today than in previous generations because of ozone depletion, so your grandmother's well-preserved skin may not presage yours remaining so.

More sun-protection savvy:

• SPF numbers aren't the same in the U.S. and Europe. When in doubt, buy higher.
• Don't neglect your hands. Skin on hands is thin and often shows damage --- loss of texture, sun spotting -- - before your face does. Use sunscreen on your hands whenever they'll be exposed --- even, say, driving around town on a sunny day.
• Use a moisturizer with a sunscreen every day for automatic, no-brainer protection. Add higher-level protection as needed.
• If you get burned on your face or body, cool your skin: dip gauze in room-temperature or slightly cool milk (warm the milk for just two to five seconds in the microwave to take off the refrigerator chill) and apply it to skin, keeping it on for 20 minutes. The coolness will soothe the burning sensation. Follow with an aloe and/or vitamin E-enriched cream.