6 Reasons Your Skin Looks 10 Years Older

So many of us are paying for early sun exposure—skin damage like brownish-gray patches (melasma), brown spots that look like flat moles (lentigos), broken blood vessels and freckles. "Patients often say, 'The damage is done, and it's too late to fix it,'" says Krant. But that's not entirely true: You can prevent additional damage and reduce the severity of the problems you already have if you remain vigilant. "Additional sun exposure can make conditions like melasma even more noticeable. Existing spots can get darker and larger while new ones appear," explains Krant. Her advice is to embrace excellent sun hygiene (sunscreen, hats, sunglasses—the whole nine yards) as a way of life.

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