You were probably taught to wear sunscreen or other forms of sun protection from an early age to protect yourself from damaging UVA and UVB radiation. However, many individuals mistakenly believe this only applies to being outside and fail to consider the need to use sun protection inside, such as when near windows that allow the sun’s rays in. This is particularly true regarding truck drivers due to the enormous time spent behind the wheel. The left side of the driver’s face, sometimes known as the “truck driver face,” is particularly vulnerable to sun damage in trucks. Trucker sun damage, however, may happen to any region of the body that is exposed to intense sunlight for an extended time while driving.
What is Truck Driver Face?
The right side of your face will probably be shielded from the sun when operating your vehicle for many hours each day. However, the left side of the face is virtually always in the sun. Consequently, the left side of your face ages more quickly than the right, developing indications of premature aging such as wrinkles and thinning skin—a condition known as “truck driver face.”
How to Avoid Skin Damage in Truck Drivers
Unfortunately, truck drivers cannot prevent their faces from being exposed to the sun. However, there are methods to safeguard your skin and mitigate the damage that exposure to the sun may do. You should protect yourself from UVA radiation, which is often connected to tanning. Additionally, you should shield yourself from UVB rays, which are the rays that result in “sunburns,” wrinkles, and all other aging symptoms. Generally speaking, excessive exposure to any solar light may cause skin damage. So that you may assist in safeguarding yourself as much as possible, here are some procedures and activities you can do.
- Apply sunscreen daily and frequently – Apply sunscreen liberally and regularly to any region of your body that is exposed to the sun for an extended length of time. At the very least, do this every day. You are free to choose the SPF level that you believe is ideal for your skin, but try not to avoid high SPF levels just because of how they seem, feel, or smell. The most important thing is to ensure it is a broad-spectrum sunscreen, regardless of your chosen SPF number. The term “broad-spectrum” refers to the ability to block UVA and UVB radiation. Whatever your skin type or sunscreen preferences, there are numerous solutions available. If you have sensitive skin, several companies offer a special mix to address this.
- Cover your skin with clothing – You do not have to do anything fancy here, although you certainly may. It might help to put on a long-sleeved shirt, a neck gaiter, and a cap or visor to shade your face. Companies do offer UPF 50+ (UPF is comparable to SPF but used for fabric) clothing products that are particularly created to help prevent UVA and UVB radiation from accessing your skin if you wish to outfit yourself with high-end sun protection apparel.
- Wear sunglasses – Do not forget that exposure to the sun damages not only your skin but also your eyes. Wear high-quality sunglasses whenever possible, ideally ones that block UVA and UVB rays. You will not regret spending the money to safeguard your eyes, even if they are pricey.
- Do your best to prevent sun exposure during peak hours – This may be the hardest tip to follow, but limiting sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. will do wonders for minimizing truck driver skin damage. These are the sun’s “peak hours,” during which its UV rays are strongest. Even if it may not be practical, plan breaks from the sun at this time to avoid driving. Although we understand that you can not completely avoid traveling during this period, minimizing your exposure will be helpful.
- Check for skin cancer regularly – Although those above may assist in protecting you going ahead if you have previously been exposed to years of extended sunshine, the sun may have already done permanent harm. To guarantee you are in the clear, be sure to have regular skin cancer tests. No one likes doing this, but it is always preferable to be safe than sorry. In addition, the likelihood of success in treating any skin issue depends on early identification. Therefore, the sooner a problem is identified, the sooner you can treat it and stop it from becoming a more significant problem.
Having learned a bit more about why prolonged sun exposure may harm your skin and how to help avoid truck driver sun damage, put the advice above into practice as soon as possible. Waiting until you start to acquire a “truck driver face” is not advisable. Act right now to save yourself the hassle. Making the additional effort to shield your face and skin from the elements will not be something you will regret.
