Skin Care for a Sun-Damaged Face

Repeated ultraviolet exposure can contribute to uneven skin tone, rough texture, fine lines, and changes in elasticity. Sun spots and melasma can both cause facial colour changes, while a recent painful, peeling reaction may be sunburn. Facial volume loss and sagging skin have several possible causes and are not explained by sun exposure alone. A sun-damaged area should not be self-diagnosed when a spot is new, changing, crusted, or slow to heal.

Use shade, protective clothing, and broad-spectrum sunscreen on exposed facial skin; reapply according to the product directions and after activities that remove it. Cleanse gently, moisturise, and pause harsh scrubs when the skin stings or flakes. Avoid deliberately tanning and do not peel recently sunburned skin. A dermatologist can assess pigment and texture and discuss treatments suited to your skin, while ongoing protection helps reduce repeated exposure.

Arrange a skin examination for a mark that changes in colour, shape, size, or sensation, or for a sore that crusts, bleeds, or does not heal. Seek prompt care for severe sunburn with blistering, marked swelling, fever, confusion, or eye symptoms. A changing lesion deserves assessment because basal cell carcinoma can resemble a persistent sore or unusual patch.

Which changes are consistent with photoaging, and which need examination? What sunscreen and moisturiser fit my skin? Could this pigment be melasma or a sun spot, and which treatment is appropriate?