Reasons to Avoid Scalp Sunburns
For most of us, spending quality time away from our houses means more exposure to the sun. The warmth and sunlight provide our bodies with vitamin D, a much-needed mineral for our bone health. Warm weather also means an elevated mood. However, excess exposure to overly warm weather can put you at a greater risk of scalp sunburn. While applying sunscreen on your arms and back will help protect these parts, you shouldn’t downplay your scalp’s vulnerability to the sun’s direct UV rays. Like any other body part, your scalp faces the following dangers if not well protected from sunburns.
- Premature Aging of Your Skin
The biggest challenge that arises from too much exposure to UV light is premature skin aging around the scalp area. Repeated sunburns on your scalp and any other part of your body accelerate the skin’s aging process, weakening the connective tissues.
As a result, your skin loses its strength and elasticity, making you look much older than you are. These changes are better referred to as photoaging. And some of the effects that come along include;
- Deep wrinkles on your scalp area
- Dry and rough scalp
- Freckles around your scalp
- Precancerous Skin Lacerations
If you’ve been exposed to excess UV lights before, probably you’ve seen rough and scaly patches on your scalp. The reason is—your scalp faces the direct path of sun rays, making it more vulnerable to these lacerations.
While having hair can protect you, even partial hair loss can leave your scalp more vulnerable to sunburn. Using sunscreen may not even be effective enough to provide the proper protection against harsh UV lights.
Besides, a balding scalp has fewer hair follicles and therefore fewer stem cells. So, it can’t restore any damage from sunburn. This means you’ll have to leave with these precancerous skin lesions forever.
The most significant risk of having these scalp patches is that you can’t have a scalp tattoo, even when you need one. What’s more, too many lesions can evolve into skin cancer.Â
- Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most significant reason why you should strive to avoid scalp sunburns. Too much exposure to UV lights, even without sunburn, increases your risk of contracting various types of skin cancer.
Cancer will start developing from the scalp area where the damage began. Some types of skin cancer may even manifest as a sore that bleeds and heals quickly. The sore may reappear or develop into a bigger one.
Skin cancer on your scalp may also start as a sunburned spot that slowly blackens and enlarges. If you notice such skin changes on your scalp or any other part of your body, it’s only safe that you see a doctor for further medical analysis.
Final Thought
Even the least severe sunburns can damage your scalp and cause further skin complications. That’s why it’s always important to take precautionary measures when going out in direct sunlight. If possible, protect your scalp with sunscreen and consider spending time outside when the sun is lowest in the sky.
