radiation burn?

My son is 31yo. When he was a teenager, he used retinol cream for acne. He has had problems with his face/neck/ears becoming extremely red when he is in the sun for only short periods of time and usually remains somewhat red. He has been told in the past by a dermatologist that he had rosacea but treatment was little to no avail. He is now a welder and the problem is even worse. I have thought since he was young that he damaged his skin using too much retinol and no sunscreen and also not using correct welding PPE. Could this be the case and if so, what can be done to correct this condition? He does not like to use creams/lotions, etc on his face. He says it makes his skin too oily and he doesn't like the feel of the ointments.