The sun-ravaged face of a trucker, who spent a career with one half of his visage directly exposed to the sun's rays, has drastically illustrated the ageing effects of UV exposure.
While the skin on right half of his face is relatively smooth and free of wrinkles the left side clearly shows thickening and wrinkling of the skin.
The condition known as unilateral dermatoheliosis, or photoaging, is caused by chronic exposure to the sun's Ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.
"Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays transmit through window glass, penetrating the epidermis and upper layers of dermis," the report said.
"Chronic UVA exposure can result in thickening of the epidermis and stratum corneum, as well as destruction of elastic fibers."
The man was advised to "use sun protection and topical retinoids, as well as periodic monitoring for the apparition of skin cancer".
Article sources: New England Journal of Medicine,
Author: Martin Zavan, @zavanos. News editor: Will Jackson.
