Now that Labor Day Weekend is over and fall is upon us, it is the perfect time to focus on one of the most important aspects of skin care: reversing sun damage! Since we live in the Sunshine State, most of us get hours of sun exposure every week. Even if you are not spending a day at the beach and you generously apply SPF regularly, all the quick errands, kids’ sporting events, and just walking to and from your car add up to harmful UV exposure. SPF-protected or not, sun exposure can add years to your skin and overall looks. With time, sun damage builds up and results in visible changes to the skin which include wrinkles, fine lines, age spots, loose skin, and ruddy complexion. Fortunately, there are some ways to erase some of this damage.
Home Care
Using medical-grade, clinically-proven skincare products at home is an important step. In-office treatments give immediate results in reversing sun damage; while home care is daily, consistent, and maintains the results of treatments. Using the proper moisturizer, toner, exfoliator, and quality serums and acids will help with fine lines, age spots, pore size, and complexion. Having a prescription retinoid is also a powerful way to boost skin appearance!
Injectables
When it comes to wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin, there is no replacement for injectable fillers and toxins. Fillers like Sculptra and Kybella and neurotoxins like BOTOX and DAXXIFY are prevalent because of their results. These safe, effective injectables reveal results in several days to a week and can last several months to a year depending on the type and amount injected.
Skin Treatments
There are a variety of effective skin treatments that can be done in the office of a dermatologist or a medical esthetician to ameliorate the effects of sun damage. Skilled providers will analyze your skin type and customize treatments based on your needs. Some examples of treatments include chemical peels, microdermabrasion, microcurrent and microneedling, radiofrequency skin treatment, and LED light therapies. Many high-end facialists now include some of these treatments and modalities in their skin services.
Lasers
Facial lasers are the most heavy-hitting players when it comes to reversing sun damage. There are ablative lasers, such as Er and CO2 lasers that remove the skin’s outer layer while stimulating collagen from underneath. These lasers are more invasive and have downtime associated with them. Nonablative lasers, including fractionated Er lasers and Nd lasers, are less invasive and have shorter downtimes. There are some laser treatments, such as Halo, which utilize both ablative and nonablative wavelengths. Halo uses one laser to go deep and tighten the skin, while the other superficially smooths the skin’s surface. The combination of the two triggers your body’s natural healing response to reveal HALO’s patented “glow”!
Some lasers work best in conjunction with each other, such as BBL HERO and MOXI. HERO works to reduce visible signs of aging anywhere on your body! It effectively treats age and sunspots, freckles, small facial veins, small blood vessels, rosacea and redness, acne, pigmentation, loss of firmness, and aging skin. Meanwhile, MOXI is best for “prejuvenation,” or minimizing the future impact of aging. Since both machines help with sun damage, age spots, and pigmentation, combining the lasers in a single 30-minute session maximizes a patient’s results.
In addition to all of these, it is critical to have regular dermatological visits and to consistently monitor for skin cancer.
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