| Starting Early To Avoid Skin Cancer And Aging The risk of premature aging of the skin and of basal and squamous cell cancers can be reduced easily by protecting yourself against the sun's ultraviolet light, which damages the DNA in skin cells and can lead to cancer. While it's important for adults to slather on the sunscreen, children also need protection. About 80 percent of your lifetime sun exposure happens before age 18. Even a couple of blistering sunburns in childhood increase the risk of later skin cancer, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. The deep wrinkling and leatherlike appearance of aging facial skin can be attributed to sunlight damage. Have a look at an area of your skin that's rarely exposed to the sun — your inner upper arm, for instance. Compare that with the skin on the back of your hands or face to get an appreciation of what sunlight is doing to your skin. Although less significant, smoking also causes wrinkling of the skin. Sun protection is more than just slathering on sunscreen lotion. Although using sunscreen is better than having no protection at all, the best protection is to avoid direct sunlight between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. | 
