SunStuff is Made Especially for You

Women use Retin-A primarily to reduce the appearance of fine lines caused by the sun. Ironically, these women are extra-sensitive to sunlight because of the skin-thinning effect of the drug, and many other alpha hydroxy and glycolic acid exfolliants. Retin-A exfolliates the outer layers of skin, exposing the fresh layer underneath. In sloughing off the outermost layers, Retin-A reduces the layers of protection and provides a more direct pipeline to potential sun damage.

In addition, individuals using Retin-A should refrain from sunlight exposure because Retin-A is often rendered inactive by sunlight. Unprotected encounters with the sun while using Retin-A could cause increased skin damage, as well as negating the ability of the drug to perform.

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Seniors

Some people need to be very cautious in the sun. This includes those who take medications that heighten sun sensitivity -- particularly seniors, whose gradually thinning skin is increasingly sensitive to sunlight.

In addition, sun exposure suppresses the immune system dramatically, decreasing the body's ability to ward off or battle illnesses. It is therefore especially important to shield seniors, whose fragile immune systems already render them highly susceptible to germs.

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Individuals on Medication

Some people need to be particularly cautious in the sun. This includes those who take medication that heighten sun sensitivity. Individuals undergoing medical treatment, especially those undergoing chemotherapy, are also highly vulnerable to increased sun damage, due to skin-thinning drugs and the loss of body hair.

In addition, sun exposure suppresses the immune system dramatically, decreasing the body's ability to ward off or battle illnesses. It is essential that individuals undergoing treatment be sheltered from sunlight and its suppressive effects, because their fragile immune systems already render them highly susceptible to germs.

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Infants

It is essential that infants be shielded from UV rays because their fragile skin is extremely thin and has not yet developed burn-protective properties. Any damage done to the skin in infancy and childhood accumulates and decades later is evidenced by "aging" and, increasingly, some form of skin cancer.

No baby is born with freckles. Freckles are the skin's way of sending out a desperate warning that the skin is under attack and all of its defenses are being employed to stave off the damage it is experiencing or recently experienced. The little brown dots are created by excess melanin, which is triggered in the deepest layer of skin when under cellular attack. If your child has freckles, he or she is advising you that he is in the high-risk group for skin cancer, and you can prevent the accumulation of cell damage by limiting his exposure to sunlight from the day of birth.

In addition, sun exposure suppresses the immune system. It is essential that infants be sheltered from sunlight and its suppressive effects, because their fragile immune systems already render them highly susceptible to germs.

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Expectant Moms

Pregnant women and women who take birth-control pills are vulnerable to dark, blotchy, brown patches of skin on the forehead, upper lip, and cheeks due to a steep rise in estrogen levels, which stimulates excess melanin. This condition, known as Melasma -- the "mask of pregnancy" -- is exacerbated by sunlight and is estimated to affect 50 to 75 percent of expectant mothers. It is especially common in dark-skinned women and those of Asian descent.

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Suits all Skin Tones

Historically, people of African and Latino descent have worried less about sun damage because it was believed that their skin was not susceptible to damage. It has been discovered, however, that although dark-skinned people are less likely to develop skin damage than lighter skinned persons due to a higher percentage of protective skin pigments, they are still vulnerable.

In addition, darker skinned people are just as susceptible to cataracts and immune suppression as lighter skinned people. Finally, skin cancer is dependent on a number of factors, in only one of which do dark-skinned persons have an advantage -- the higher level of melanin protection in their skin. They have more protective pigments, but do not have total protection from damage.

Pregnant women and women who take birth-control pills are vulnerable to dark, blotchy, brown patches of skin on the forehead, upper lip, and cheeks due to a steep rise in estrogen levels, which stimulates excess melanin. This condition, known as Melasma -- the "mask of pregnancy" -- is exacerbated by sunlight and is estimated to affect 50 to 75 percent of expectant mothers. It is especially common in dark-skinned women and those of Asian descent.

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