Laser Therapy
Numerous types of laser therapy can help you fight sun-damaged skin, while also targeting other side effects at the same time that most of us don’t even notice. This means, with the help of a professional you can treat pigmentation, sunspots, broken blood vessels, redness, wrinkles, fine and deep lines, uneven skin surface and more. The ugly truth is that sun damage does not only cause discolouration but also deepens and affects so many other skin concerns.
It’s very important that you always have a skin check conducted by a dermatologist before undergoing treatment for sun damage. This is because the treatment may successfully remove a spot on the surface which is actually a deeper precancerous or cancerous lesion.
At-home products are great to use in the long term, but the thing with laser therapy is that it provides results much faster.
Different lasers have different jobs to do, vascular lasers, for example, will target redness in the skin such as broken blood vessels, while Q-switched YAG lasers treat pigmented lesions such as brown spots, age spots, freckles and melasma. There are also a number of devices that rely on creating micro-injuries in the skin, which stimulate the production of collagen and promote the formation of new skin cells. Different types of therapies use different techniques, that’s why you should always consult a trained professional such as a nurse practitioner or dermal clinician (which is very different to a beauty therapist) who has gone to university for several years to learn purely about the skin.
Dermal clinicians are highly-knowledgeable in the anatomy, pathology of the skin, different skin treatments, therapies and giving professional advice. In most cases, there is some downtime associated where you will need to stay indoors and protect your face from the sun’s rays. Lasers can be expensive, however, are worth it in order to obtain a pronounced result. To protect your investment, combine with appropriate skin care and sun protection routine and that bright, glowing complexion that you’ve been dreaming of will be yours.
Vitamin A
One of the best skincare ingredients to turn to when you want to repair sun damage on your skin is Vitamin A and its derivatives. If you’ve been searching for an efficient product that will help you treat hyperpigmentation and dark spots at home, retinol is the way to go.
The magic behind the use of retinol is that it can promote the production of collagen, stimulate cell turnover, fade pigmentation and brown spots, fight signs of ageing, attack fine lines, improve complexion and more. It comes packed in several different forms, from gels, serums, to creams.
Retinol is just one derivative of Vitamin A, there are many others as well, each is available in a wide range of products that work for different ages, skin types, skin concerns and sensitivity levels. One thing you have to keep in mind is that it is not recommended that pregnant women use Vitamin A-based products in any of its forms including retinol.
Also, if you have a very sensitive and dry skin type make sure that you start with a mild formulation, use it only one day a week in the beginning and slowly work your way up. This ingredient can cause initial irritation and redness, which is why professionals recommend that you start with an entry-level product containing an appropriate vitamin A derivative and introduce it slowly.
In the long run, you can choose vitamin drip therapy as it will help in general wellness, hydration and boost your energy level. This formula contains magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, and potassium chloride which increases the strength of your skin and reduces its sensitivity.
Don’t expect the effects to be immediate, instead have patience and wait for the results.
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels are proven efficient in improving uneven skin tone. You can begin at home with an at-home product that promotes cell turnover such as an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) or Vitamin A. Or you can turn to a professional to get a chemical peel. Generally, most skin care professionals will now primarily offer a series of light skin peels, although it doesn’t sound it by the name, these peels are much stronger than you’re at-home products. Medium and deep peels have largely been replaced by laser and light therapies as they are much safer and have more controlled outcomes.
Like with lasers the number and strength of peels available on the market is huge, and each varies in the way it works and what it’s targeting. Peels are different from facials and should always be carried out by a properly trained professional. A professional chemical peel chosen to treat sun damage will exfoliate the dead and damaged cells from the surface of the skin, making space for a new, healthy layer. The ingredients used during the treatment may also target discolouration that happens due to sun exposure, leading to a much more even skin tone. Generally, peels require a course in order to achieve a great result.
Just like with retinoids, you have to be careful when using products that will encourage light chemical exfoliation at home. Some of the ingredients you want to include in your skincare routine that provide light chemical exfoliation are lactic acid, glycolic acid, mandelic acid, papaya, pineapple, berry fruit enzymes all of which come included in different types of products.
In other words, get advice before you start, making sure you are using the right ingredients for your skin, and introduce slowly. Don’t forget to protect your face and neck with quality sunscreen every day, this becomes even more important when using active skincare as some ingredients make your skin photosensitive (sun sensitive).
Conclusion
It’s never too late to protect your skin from the sun and reverse the damage that UV rays have caused on your face, neck, and chest. Unfortunately, the sun can easily cause discolouration and further accelerate a range of skincare concerns that already existed. If you’re using sun protection at all times, great job! If not, remember to religiously apply sunscreen, not only to prevent hyperpigmentation but to save yourself from wrinkles, dull-looking skin, spots and even cancer.
Assoc. Prof. Greg Goodman is a leading dermatologist in Australia and holds senior lecturing positions with both Monash University and University College of London. He is a highly skilled dermatologist with an extensive specialist portfolio, he believes that skincare advice should be unbiased and freely accessible. That’s why he founded Script Skincare, an instore and online technology tool that helps people to understand their skin by creating a personalised skin profile and an unbiased, individually matched at home skincare routine.
