Signs of Sun Damage in Patients with Hair Loss

Evidence of Chronic Sun Damage

Hair protects us from the sun and from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation. It's clear that the risk of skin cancer is increased in males who are balding compared to males who are not balding. The typical signs of sun damage are seen in the photo and referred to as "dyschromia" and include dilated blood vessels (number 1) as well as pigmentation changes (number 2). Dyschromia from sun damage includes both hypopigmentation (lighter colors) and hyperpigmentation (darker colors).

Reference

Li WQ, et al. Male pattern baldness and risk of incident skin cancer in a cohort of men.  Int J Cancer. 2016.