How to prevent and treat sun-damaged skin
Best treatments for sun damage and hyperpigmentation, West Malling, Kent
The sun lifts our spirits and makes us feel great but, unfortunately, it doesn’t have the best relationship with our skin, and this makes itself known via sun damage, which involves so much more than just dark spots – there’s rough skin, broken capillaries, and wrinkles too. The sun damages all structures of the skin and is capable of causing skin cancer even if you don’t burn. The inflammation caused by sun damage happens every day, and it starts from the first moment you expose your skin to daylight without protection. And this will show itself in various forms over time.
Prevention is better than cure
Prevention is better than cure, so make sure you protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays every day. It’s never too early (or too late) to start using a good quality broad-spectrum sunscreen. In fact, the older you get, the harder it is for your skin to repair the effects of sun damage, so the sooner you start, the better. Avoid the sun in the middle of the day, from about 10am to 3pm when the ultraviolet rays are at their strongest. When you do go outdoors, particularly during the summer months, enhance your protection by wearing protective clothing.
How the sun affects the skin
Dry, dull, and rough skin tone
The sun can dry out the skin and deplete its levels of essential fatty acids, leaving skin looking and feeling dry, flaky and rough. Sun damage also slows down the rate of skin cell renewal, causing a build-up of old, dead skin cells that result in dull, congested skin.
The solution: One of the most effective ways to rejuvenate a dull, dry, rough complexion is through the power of skin boosters. Dubbed as ‘a go-to treatment for a glow from within’, Profhilo is quite simply hyaluronic acid at its best. Profhilo contains one of the highest concentrations of hyaluronic acid available and delivers prolonged efficacy, integrating into the tissues where it really gets to work. It restores the levels of hyaluronic acid naturally found in the skin, improving skin texture, elasticity, and hydration, with the boost of an almost immediate tightening effect in most cases.
Dark spots and pigmentation
One of the most apparent, long-lasting signs of sun damage is dark spots or patchy hyperpigmentation due to sun exposure. Brown spots form because UV light triggers excess melanin production within the skin. In the absence of broad-spectrum sunscreen, skin overproduces melanin to protect itself from sun damage.
For many people, the excess melanin is produced unevenly and concentrates in smaller areas, causing stubborn pigmentation marks. The resulting dark spots require powerful, skin-evening ingredients to fade hyperpigmentation and help the skin return to its natural colour.
The solution: Clear away dark spots and pigmentation with skin peels. Hailed as one of the gold-standard treatments for tackling stubborn pigmentation, targeted chemical peels improve the appearance of sun damage by using a chemical solution to remove the outer layer of the skin, revealing a smoother surface beneath. Chemical peels are available in various strengths – medium-depth peels penetrate deeper and are an excellent choice for those with sun damage or pigmentation issues.
Collagen and elastin decline – Lines, wrinkles, and sagging
Collagen is a protein that retains the firmness of your skin, and elastin is the support fibre that allows the skin to bounce back.
Collagen and elastin degradation in the deeper skin layers can result in premature signs of skin ageing, such as wrinkles and fine lines because your skin loses its elasticity and firmness.
Making matters worse, unprotected sun exposure also diminishes skin’s hyaluronic acid content, leading to thinner, more fragile skin.
The solution: Profound RF, a non-invasive treatment, works using microneedles to deliver radiofrequency energy deep into the skin, stimulating collagen and elastin production. The needles quickly penetrate and withdraw immediately, creating micro-traumas, stimulating the healing response, whilst radiofrequency uses heat to tighten the skin.
After just one treatment, you’ll notice visibly firmer, smoother, more lifted, and hydrated skin. It’s perfect for anyone with lines, wrinkles, and sun damage, and it also helps tighten skin laxity and jowling.
Skin cancer
While the effects of sun damage are mainly cosmetic, it can become a serious threat to your health when it causes skin cancer. Repeated sunburn and unprotected sun exposure increase the chance of various forms of skin cancer, which is why sun protection is so important.
Would you like to find out more about the options for tackling sun damage? Click here to book a consultation with one of our expert practitioners.
Disclaimer: Please be aware that results and benefits may vary from patient to patient taking into consideration factors such as age, lifestyle and medical history.
