A photo showing 40 years of sun damage went viral, showing what happened to a 92-year-old woman who used sunscreen on her face but not her neck
- A skin doctor posted the photo of the face and neck of a woman, 92, who for 40 years used sunscreen on her face but not her neck to show the difference it makes
- To prevent skin cancer, skin doctors recommend using sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher when the UV index is 3 or above – even in winter and when it’s cloudy
A 92-year-old woman applied sunscreen to her face but not her neck for more than 40 years – and a photograph shows the striking consequences for her skin.
Dr Avi Bitterman, a dermatologist in New York, posted the photograph of the unnamed woman on Twitter on September 2. It shows sun damage on the skin of her neck, and far less discolouration and fewer wrinkles on her face where she applied sunscreen.
Within four days, more than 239,000 people had liked the post, and more than 30,500 people had retweeted it, mostly as a reminder to apply sunscreen to all body parts exposed to the sun.
The photo was originally published in the Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology in October 2021 as part of a report on skin cancer and ageing as an example of the effects of sun protection.
UV light, invisible radiation from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds, can damage skin cells and cause irreversible discolouration and wrinkles.
Exposure to UV is also the most preventable cause of skin cancer, which is “by far” the most common type of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.