Here Comes the Sun: Four Ways to Treat Sun Damaged Skin

Your skin is your body’s largest organ. It cools you off in the summer and keeps you warm in the winter. Your skin can incredibly renew itself, but it can also become damaged, especially by the rays of the sun. When your skin becomes damaged it not only ages you, but it can cause health concerns as well. According to the Academy of Dermatology, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and the numbers keep growing. How can you rid yourself of sun damage like wrinkles and hyperpigmentation while also decreasing your risk of developing skin cancer?

Wear Sunscreen

It’s best to avoid the sun during the peak hours of 10 am to 4 pm, when it comes to preventing not only sun damage but also skin cancer. However, that isn’t always feasible. If you must be in the sun, then sunscreen is the best line of defense. To prevent skin cancer, you want a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects from UVA/UVB rays. When choosing your sunscreen there are a few things to keep in mind, you want a sunscreen you will use. A more expensive brand isn’t doing a better job if you aren’t using it. You will need to choose a sunscreen that is SPF 15 or higher for UVB protection. Currently, there are no regulations for UVA protections, but your skin will be protected if you choose a sunscreen that contains zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, avobenzone or ecamsule. What can you do if your skin is already suffering from sun damage?

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels utilize different types of acid to exfoliate the top layers of your skin. Peels remove hyperpigmentation, scars, fine lines and also sun damage. There are three basic types of peels. Superficial peels use mild acids like alpha-hydroxy. These peels give the skin a refreshed look. Medium Peels use a more potent acid like glycolic acid. These peels not only take care of hyperpigmentation they can also lighten freckles and treat precancerous growths. Deep peels get down into the middle layer of the skin. In addition to removing wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, they can also remove shallow scarring. Chemical peels are a great option to remove sun damage. The type of peel you require will depend on the level of sun damage you have.

Light Therapy

Light therapy uses a bright light to treat the skin and remove fine lines and sun damaged skin and it’s usually done after a treatment like microdermabrasion. Light therapy not only removes sun damage, but it also kills acne-causing bacteria. If you need to get skin treatment, then you may want to visit a southern california cosmetic dermatology specialist.

Laser Resurfacing

Laser resurfacing concentrates short pulsating lasers of light at the damaged skin. This removes the layers of skin that have been damaged by the sun. It is carefully done layer by layer and is very effective.

At Home Skin Care

At home skin care plays a big role in treating sun-damaged skin. Even if you opt for an office treatment like a peel, you want to make sure your routine at home is getting the most from your investment. Depending on sun damage, look for products that contain acids like glycolic or ascorbic. These acids will treat sun damage, but they will also make your skin more vulnerable to the sun. Be sure to use your sunscreen when using products that exfoliate. Your skin is important and deserves to be taken care of. There are a variety of different options to prevent and treat sun damaged skin.

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