Sun damage is not always obvious when it is happening. By the time visible signs appear on the skin, the underlying damage has often been accumulating for years. Here is what to look for, what it means, and what to do about it.
Most Canadians associate sun damage with sunburn. A red, painful reaction to a day outdoors without enough sunscreen. But sunburn is only one expression of UV damage, and it is not even the most concerning one. The UV radiation that causes the most significant long-term skin damage often does so without producing any immediate visible reaction at all.
Understanding what sun damage actually looks like on skin, and recognising the signs early, is one of the most important things anyone who spends regular time outdoors in Canada can do for their long-term health. This is particularly true for golfers, hikers, and anyone who accumulates sustained outdoor exposure across seasons and decades.
How UV Radiation Damages Skin
UV radiation comes in two forms that reach the earth's surface: UVA and UVB. Both cause damage, but they do so in different ways and at different depths in the skin.
UVB radiation is what causes sunburn. It affects the outer layers of the skin and is the primary driver of immediate visible redness and peeling after overexposure. UVB intensity varies significantly with the season, time of day, and cloud cover.
UVA radiation penetrates deeper into the skin, reaching the dermis where collagen and elastin fibres live. UVA is present at roughly equal intensity year-round, regardless of season or cloud cover, and passes through glass. It does not cause the immediate burning response of UVB but it is the primary driver of premature skin aging and plays a significant role in melanoma development. Most people do not feel UVA damage happening because there is no immediate pain signal the way sunburn provides.
The cumulative effect of both UVA and UVB exposure over a lifetime is what expresses itself as the visible and invisible signs of sun damage described below.
Visible Signs of Sun Damage on Skin
Sunburn
The most immediate and recognisable sign of sun damage. Skin becomes red, warm, tender, and sometimes blistered within hours of overexposure to UVB radiation. While a single sunburn heals visibly within a week or two, the underlying DNA damage it causes in skin cells is cumulative and does not fully repair. Research consistently links a history of severe sunburns, particularly in childhood and young adulthood, to significantly elevated melanoma risk later in life.
For golfers, sunburn most commonly appears on the forearms, the back of the neck, the ears, and the nose. These are the areas with the highest sustained UV exposure during a round and the areas most often inadequately protected.
Hyperpigmentation and age spots
Also called solar lentigines or liver spots, these are flat brown or tan patches that appear on areas of the skin with the most sun exposure over time. The face, hands, forearms, and shoulders are the most common sites. They develop when UV exposure triggers an overproduction of melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour, in localised areas.
Age spots are not dangerous in themselves but they are a reliable indicator of cumulative UV exposure and should be monitored for any changes in size, shape, colour, or border regularity. New or changing pigmented spots should always be evaluated by a dermatologist.
Uneven skin tone and texture
Long-term UVA exposure breaks down collagen and elastin in the dermis, leading to a rougher, uneven skin texture and a loss of the even tone that characterises younger skin. This appears as a generally weathered look, often with areas of diffuse redness or a blotchy complexion, and is distinct from the sharp-edged pigmentation of age spots.
This type of damage is almost entirely attributable to UVA radiation and develops gradually over years. It is one of the most common forms of sun damage in outdoor athletes and people with significant lifetime sun exposure.
Actinic keratoses
These are rough, scaly patches on sun-exposed skin that develop as a result of years of UV exposure. They most commonly appear on the face, ears, scalp, neck, forearms, and hands. Actinic keratoses are considered precancerous lesions, meaning they have the potential to develop into squamous cell carcinoma if left untreated.
They typically feel rough or sandpaper-like to the touch and may be pink, red, or brown in colour. Some itch or burn. They are very common in adults over 40 who have spent significant time outdoors without consistent sun protection, and they are a direct signal that the skin has accumulated meaningful UV damage.
Any rough, scaly, or persistent patch on sun-exposed skin that does not resolve within a few weeks should be evaluated by a dermatologist.
Broken capillaries and redness
UV damage weakens the walls of small blood vessels near the skin's surface, causing them to become visible as fine red lines or a general flushed appearance, particularly on the nose and cheeks. This type of damage is largely permanent once established and is a common indicator of long-term UV exposure in fair-skinned individuals.
Loss of skin elasticity
As UVA radiation breaks down collagen and elastin over time, skin loses its ability to spring back after being stretched or compressed. This manifests as fine lines, deeper wrinkles, and a general looseness or sagging, particularly around the eyes, mouth, and neck. While aging contributes to this process naturally, UV exposure dramatically accelerates it. Dermatologists estimate that up to 90% of visible skin aging is attributable to UV exposure rather than chronological age.
Warning Signs That Require Immediate Medical Attention
The signs above are indicators of cumulative sun damage that warrant monitoring and preventive action. The following changes require prompt evaluation by a dermatologist rather than watchful waiting.
Any new or changing mole or pigmented spot. The ABCDE rule is the standard self-examination framework:
- Asymmetry: one half does not match the other
- Border: edges are irregular, ragged, or blurred
- Colour: variation in colour within the same spot, including shades of brown, black, red, white, or blue
- Diameter: larger than 6mm, roughly the size of a pencil eraser
- Evolving: any change in size, shape, colour, or any new symptom such as bleeding or itching
Any spot that meets one or more of these criteria should be evaluated by a dermatologist promptly. Early detection is the single most important factor in melanoma outcomes. The five-year survival rate for melanoma detected at stage one is over 98%. Detected at stage four it drops significantly.
A sore that does not heal, bleeds easily, or repeatedly crusts over should also be evaluated. These can be signs of basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma, both of which are highly treatable when caught early.
Who Is Most at Risk for Sun Damage in Canada
Certain factors increase the rate at which UV radiation causes visible and cellular damage to skin:
- Fair skin, light eyes, or red or blonde hair
- A personal or family history of skin cancer or melanoma
- A high number of moles or atypical moles
- A history of significant sunburns, particularly in childhood
- Regular outdoor activity during peak UV hours without consistent protection
- Living or recreating in high UV regions such as the Okanagan Valley
In 2026, an estimated 11,300 Canadians will be diagnosed with melanoma. 85% of those diagnoses are attributed to UV radiation exposure. Regular self-examination and annual dermatologist check-ups are the most effective tools for catching changes early.
What to Do If You Notice Signs of Sun Damage
If you are seeing signs of cumulative sun damage, the most important steps are straightforward.
See a dermatologist for a full skin check, particularly if you have spent significant time outdoors in Canada without consistent sun protection. Annual skin checks are recommended for anyone with elevated risk factors. Many dermatologists can assess the full body for concerning lesions in a single appointment.
Start protecting yourself consistently from this point forward. Sun damage is cumulative but further accumulation can be meaningfully slowed with consistent protection. A layered approach combining UPF 50+ clothing for the largest surface areas with SPF 50 broad-spectrum sunscreen for exposed skin provides the most consistent protection for anyone spending regular time outdoors.
Do not wait for visible damage to start protecting yourself. The UV radiation that causes the most significant long-term harm, UVA in particular, does so without producing any immediate visible signal. Protection that starts before damage is visible is protection that prevents damage from accumulating in the first place.
Why This Brand Exists
Enjoy the Vu was founded in Penticton, BC by Jake MacDonald after a malignant melanoma diagnosis at 24. Jake was a regular golfer in the Okanagan who applied sunscreen before rounds and thought that was enough. The diagnosis changed everything about how he thought about sun protection, and the polo he could not find afterward is the reason this brand exists.
Every Enjoy the Vu polo is independently lab tested to UPF 50+ under AATCC 183-2010. It covers the largest surface area of your body passively, consistently, and without requiring any action from you mid-round. Browse the full collection of UPF 50+ long sleeve golf polos.
Related articles on The Vu:
Skin Cancer Statistics in Canada: What the Numbers Actually Say
Melanoma Near Misses and the Importance of Early Detection
How Long Does Sunscreen Actually Last During a Round of Golf?