Researchers at Guro Korea University Guro Hospital (KUGH) have found that driving a car to work can cause severe photoaging in the left side of the driver’s face.

Photoaging is a condition where the characteristic of the skin changes after chronic UVA and UVB exposure

The team, led by Professors Kye Young-chul and Seo Soo-hong of the department of dermatology at the hospital, concluded the results after researching 15 patients, aged 50 or above, who drove their car into work.

Until now overseas studies and researches have proved that people who drive by occupation suffered from photo aging on their faces that is close to the driver side window. In this study, however, the team confirmed people who commute to work on their automobile could suffer from the same photo-aging damage on the side of their faces that face the sun, which in Korea is the left.

The researchers divided the surface of the face into several parts and evaluated the amount of light reaching each region and the degree of photoaging.

As a result, the research showed that light energy affects the left and bottom side of the face more than the right and top side of the face.

In particular, the left temple and the lower part of the left eye were most vulnerable. Also, the left side had more pigmentation or wrinkles when compared to the right side.

During commuting hours the sun emits low ultraviolet B (UVB) and high amounts ultraviolet A (UVA), visible light and infrared rays due to its low altitude. As the commuting time is not usually long and the sunlight is not stronger than daytime, people typically believe that the sunlight during that time is harmless.

However, the researchers have confirmed that long wavelength and low energy sunlight causes as much damage to the skin as UVB with a short wavelength and high energy.

“People, who commute to work on their automobile, tend to have more sun damage to their faces that face the driver’s window,” Professor Seo said. “We advise preventing such chronic damage caused by light in areas by applying the proper amount of sunscreen.”