The sun is a great source of vitamin D, but too much exposure to sunlight can damage your skin. Sun damage is an accumulation of ultraviolet (UV) exposure over the course of several years. Common signs of sun damage come in the form of sunburns, dark spots, wrinkles, and sagging skin. Thankfully, there are several ways to repair sun-damaged skin and prevent it from getting worse. Here’s what you can do:
Laser Therapy
There are several different kinds of laser treatments that can address various issues related to sun damage. This includes discoloration, wrinkles, and blotchiness. If you’re going wondering what kind of skin treatment you should get in Salt Lake City for your sun-damaged skin, CO2 laser therapy is a great place to start. This procedure uses a laser technique to get rid of brown spots by causing microchannels of injury to the skin which triggers the growth of new skin. It’s recommended that you speak to a professional dermatologist who can assess your skin and determine which type of laser therapy is right for you.
Bleach
Skin bleaching or skin lightening can get rid of brown spots on your skin due to sun damage. Despite its name, there’s actually no bleach involved in the procedure. What is used instead is a cream or a serum with hydroquinone in it that gently lightens and evens out brown accumulations of melanin on your skin.
Exfoliation
Exfoliation requires you to remove dead skin cells on your skin in order to make room for healthy, new skin cells. Dead skin cells usually clump together to form a brown pigment, so it’s important to scrub it off. Proper exfoliation can make your skin look brighter and smoother. You can do this by using either physical or chemical exfoliants. Physical exfoliants use little granules to rub away dead skin cells, while chemical exfoliants dissolve dead skin cells. The latter is recommended for sensitive skin.
Vitamin A
Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A that can stimulate cell turnover and increase collagen production. It aids your skin in shedding dead skin cells in order to produce new, healthy cells. When used regularly, it can improve the general pigmentation of your skin, tighten wrinkles, soften fine lines, and fade brown spots. Retinol can come in the form of creams and gels and may require a prescription. It’s quite a strong formulation, so if you’re pregnant, it’s important that you stay away from it since it may potentially affect your baby.
Prevention
Even with all these treatments, the best thing you can do for your skin is to protect it from any further damage. Prevention is the best medicine, after all. You can start off by regularly wearing a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. You can also protect your skin with UV protective clothing, wide-brimmed hats, and sunglasses. Try not to expose yourself too much to the sun whenever possible. There are several mobile apps that can give you personalized sun safety recommendations, including how much sunscreen you’re required to put depending on how much skin you have exposed and how long you can stay under the sun before you get a sunburn.
Turn back time on your skin with these practical tips for reversing sun damage.
