At least you had a good time
So you have ruined your skin with the sun. Well at least you had a good time. Now its time to fix the mess.
So you have ruined your skin with the sun. Well at least you had a good time. Now its time to fix the mess.
Our first option is to try to improve the brown spots, roughness and fine lines with skin care and prescription retinoids. But broken blood vessels, wrinkles, elastosis, pre-cancerous changes and more significant pigment changes require more significant treatment. If we can’t accomplish what we want to do to repair sun damage to the skin with at home treatments or want quicker results then we go to treatments in the office.
These anti-aging aesthetic procedures and treatments help reverse sun damage:
GentleWaves® LED Photomodulation®
Gives creamy appearance to skin
This painless light emitting diode treatment stimulates collagen and elastin production and prevents collagen breakdown. It improves sun damaged reducing the appearance of fine lines and gives a creamy appearance to the skin.
Restores radiance and glow.
Microdermabrasion uses a controlled stream of particles to exfoliate the skin. Particle-free microdermabrasion uses a treatment tip. We perform SilkPeel® Dermalinfusion® which uses a diamond treatment head to precisely exfoliate, followed by Dermal Infusion, the application of specific dermaceutical treatment solutions at controlled intensity. It removes surface abnormalities, and allows better penetration of prescribed home skin treatments.
Improves acne and pigmentation.
A chemical peel is the application of a solution to remove skin of varying depths and to stimulate collagen production. Depth achieved varies with strength and chemical used—superficial peels (Glycolic, Lactic, Salicylic Acids), mid level peels (lower strength Trichloracetic Acid/TCA), and deep peels (high strength TCA or Phenol). Superficial peels are effective for acne, pigmentation, fine lines and restoring glow. Mid level peels improve fine lines, some moderate lines. Deep peels improve deeper wrinkles and acne scars. The risks involved increase with the depth, with the deeper peels having much increased risk of scarring and permanent pigment change compared with superficial peels. Deeper peels have been used less frequently since the development of lasers, as the depth of the peel is less predictable than with laser treatment.
Improves red and brown discoloration and sun damage
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL®) reduces broken capillaries, redness, brown pigment, age spots, freckles, large pores and fine lines. Face, neck, chest, arms and hands may be treated. IPL® / PDT utilizes IPL® and a topical medication for quicker and additional results and treats pre-cancerous sun damage called actinic keratosis. IPL® gives you a clearer skin tone with reduced redness, veins, and brown spots. It improves the red and brown discoloration on the neck, chest, backs of arms, and hands from sun damage.
Resurfaces an entire surface area reducing wrinkles, scars, pore size and bumpy skin surface
Fraxel Laser Treatment (FLT) is a “fractional” treatment that produces thousands of deep, tiny columns in your skin, resurfacing sun damage, irregular surface changes, wrinkles and scars.
There is minimal downtime. Most patients return to routine activities the same day of treatment. Areas that improve include overall sun damage, mild to moderate wrinkles, large pores, surface irregularities, pigment abnormalities, acne scarring and stretch marks. Fraxel® increases overall smoothness of the skin.
Best choices for specific sun damage skin changes:
- Brown spots—IPL
- Broken blood vessels—IPL
- Pre-cancer—IPL/PDT or liquid nitrogen to individual spots
- Elastosis, wrinkles, enlarged pores—Fraxel
Next: My top 3 anti-aging choices for repairing sun damaged skin