Sun, smoking can be harsh on skin
09:51 AM CDT on Wednesday, June 14, 2006
By ERIN OCHOA / KVUE News Doctors say the sun and cigarettes are a primary cause for premature aging, but there are some ways to prevent fine lines and wrinkles -- and in some cases, reverse the effects.
Whether you're lying out or putting one out, you may face a harsh reality a few years down the road.
"Every day somebody will come in and say, 'I'm a smoker, I know I shouldn't do it.' It happens five days a week," said Dermatologist William Ramsdell.
A common diagnosis is something Dr. Ramsdell calls "smoker's face." He describes it as, "a characteristic set of lines and sort of a leather quality to the skin." It's an unmistakable, and sometimes irreversible, condition.
"Their skin looks rougher, they get wrinkles around their mouth, they get a grayish color to their skin," said Diana Porter.
Another culprit is too much sun.
"I haven't even thought about the wrinkles I'm going to get, but I probably should," said Rene Adams.
Doctors say the easiest way to treat skin damage is to wear sunscreen.
"I think a lot of people are becoming better at using a sunscreen on days that they know they're going to be exposed. It's the day to day accumulation that has an effect as well," Dr. Ramsdell said.
In fact, doctors say they find the majority of skin cancer cases on the left side of the body. That's the side commonly exposed to the ultraviolet light through the driver's side window.
"Window glass allows ultraviolet A to come through, which is aging and can cause skin cancer. A lot of people don't realize that. Window glass will block ultraviolet B, the burning ray, but not ultraviolet A, which penetrates more deeply in your skin," Dr. Ramsdell said.
Along with wearing sunscreen, you can also try topical antioxidants and moisturizers to improve your skin's appearance. For more dramatic results, doctors offer laser skin resurfacing and microdermabrasion. Treatments start at $200 and can reach several thousand dollars.
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