What is Sun Damaged Skin?

The sun can be extremely damaging to our skin if we do not protect ourselves against its UV rays. It is especially important to understand the risks involved with tanning beds. It can be hard to understand or take this damage seriously when it is not visible immediately. We may experience a bad sunburn right away, but loose skin, wrinkles, and age spots appear over time. However, individuals who utilize tanning beds have noted changes in their skin sooner than your average person.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to not only prevent damage but there are treatments to reverse signs of aging to some extent. The remedies recommended depend on the sign of aging.

Treatments for Sun Damaged Skin:

Age Spots: Age spots are a common consequence of sun-damaged skin as well as aging. Dermatologists can prescribe prescription medications containing retinoids to reduce the appearance of age spots. Other treatments include laser and light therapy, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and cryosurgery.

Wrinkles: Aging inevitably causes wrinkles. However, sun damage promotes and expedites the formation of wrinkles. Moisturizer is essential for preventing wrinkles. Along with sunspots, retinoid prescriptions, microdermabrasion, and laser treatments can assist in reducing wrinkles. Botox and injectable fillers are other treatment options available to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Spider Veins: Spider veins are blue, purple, and red vessels that appear on the skin in a twisted manner. Light and laser treatments are available to diminish spider veins. Sclerotherapy is another common treatment for spider veins that involves injecting the vein directly with a solution and rerouting its blood path.

Loose Skin: Prescriptions, fillers, and laser treatments are also prevalent treatments for counteracting loose skin.  Other techniques used to reverse loose skin include ultrasounds, non-invasive radio frequencies, and topical peptides and growth factors.

Protecting your skin from the sun is essential in maintaining your youngest-looking self! Other important factors that go into preserving the health of your skin. With a new year, you may be looking for a new start to your skincare routine. Below is a list of tips to keep your skin looking healthy moving forward!

Put Your Best Face This New Year

1. Stay Hydrated- One of the key aspects of keeping healthy-looking skin is to stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water will lead to clearer, tighter skin and less inflammation around the eyes. You should aim to drink half a gallon or 8 cups of water each day!
2. Moisturize often- Keeping your face and skin well moisturized is another important part of maintaining healthy skin. Applying lotion to your skin will lead to a reduction in fine lines, wrinkles, and even blackheads and breakouts!
3. Don’t Sleep with Makeup- Makeup clogs and causes impurities to our skin over time. You should never sleep with makeup on as it leads to whiteheads, blackheads, and acne. It is important to set aside a small amount of time each night in your bedtime routine to cleanse your face.
4. Exfoliate- Exfoliating is an important aspect of removing built-up dead skin cells on the surface. Many people either forget or neglect this important step. Exfoliating can provide you with instant results of smoother skin immediately.
5. Sleep- Getting the appropriate amount of sleep is key to having younger healthier-looking skin. Your body creates new collagen while you are sleeping. Collagen plays a major role in strengthening the elasticity of the skin, as well as eliminating depleted skin cells. It is recommended to get around 7-9 hours of sleep to allow the body’s skin to repair itself.
6. Stay Consistent- Each year, many of us take on a variety of New Year’s resolutions to better our lives and bodies! Making a skincare routine part of your lifestyle is essential. Sticking to it is the hard part. However, remaining consistent with a skincare routine is important to allow skin care products to do their jobs efficiently.
7. Avoid Sun Damage- As stated previously, sun rays can be extremely damaging to a person’s skin no matter the time of year. Oftentimes, people neglect wearing sun during chilly months. However, sun damage can lead to freckling, sunspots, and blemishes. Not to mention, sun damage increases the risk of skin cancer. It is advised to apply 30 to 50 SPF as a daily moisturizer.
8. See a skincare specialist- It is recommended to perform a skincare check on yourself often to detect any changes or abnormalities early on. In addition to self-checks, you should be seen by a professional every 3-6 months. This step is essential to inspect those “hard to reach” areas.

If you notice abnormalities in your skin or have noticed signs of aging, contact Dr. Gurgen. Our practice specializes in identifying the potential threat of age spots and other skin conditions, as well as providing the treatments necessary.

Contact our office and schedule your appointment today!