Two different types of aging processes affect our skin:
1. Chronological or intrinsic aging. This is what happens naturally to our cells between birthdays.
2. Photoaging or extrinsic aging. This is premature aging caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
How much photoaging you experience depends on your skin phototype and the amount of time you spend absorbing UV rays. Prolonged or repeated sun exposure can cause skin damage like:
• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Hyperpigmented age spots (dark spots)
• Loss of elasticity
If you're over 30 years old, have a light or medium skin tone that sunburns easily (skin phototypes I to III), and you've spent a lot of time outside without broad-spectrum sunscreen protection, then you're likely to see the effects of photoaging on your skin.
If this bothers you, there are a number of clinically proven anti-aging and anti-wrinkle prescription medications and over-the-counter ingredients that can help undo some of this sun damage.