Trucker's face shows effects of UV exposure

[Troy]

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.
The 69-year-old man spent 28 years at the wheel of a truck, resulting in the left side of his facing absorbing a lot more sun than the right side, New England Journal of Medicine reports. 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".​

That photo is incredible, there is a very clear difference between each side of his face. I didn't think that it could have that much impact on aging but it does show that it pays to protect yourself. Great photo though.​

 

[Heisenberg]

Yeah incredible photo and it does show a significant difference and wow I didn't have much knowledge that it does that to you. That's a pretty bad case of UV exposure but it's probably only really bad for him because truck drivers have busy schedules and sitting in a truck with the sun shining directly on your face wouldn't be advised especially doing it for 28 yrs.

 

[Rated R Superstar]

This makes me freaked out now whenever we go on long trips and the sun is in my face.

 

[We Are Legion]

Yeah... not gonna be a truck driver.

 

[Ryan]

That is actually extraordinary. I've always believed all of the reports of what UV rays do, but I've never seen it illustrated more clearly.

 

[Hoss]

41 years old seems like an unusual point in your life to just start driving an 18-wheeler..