As we get older, we start to see more age spots and wrinkles appearing in the mirror – don’t worry, we hate them too. There are a number of factors that may contribute to your changing skin, including smoking, diet and air pollution. Too much sun exposure may also be a cause to prematurely aging skin.
Sun damage can affect all parts of the body that are exposed to UV light for prolonged periods of time, including the face, neck, arms and chest. Your hands and forearms may see the effects of sun damage most acutely, the American Society of Dermatological Surgeons noted. What does sun-damaged skin look like? UV rays can permeate your skin and cause it to lose its elasticity and volume, creating rough, wrinkled skin – and then there are those dreaded dark spots.
Don’t worry – you don’t need to swear off days at the beach just yet. There are ways you can help your skin.
The topical fix
Walk into any local drug store to see the walls of creams and serums that claim to roll back the clock on your skin. You’ll notice that these items typically have alpha- and beta- hydroxy acids. According to Bustle, many of these products only address topical sun damage – think of aloe for a bad burn or skin lightener to address those dark spots. However, some AHAs can make your skin more sensitive to sun exposure, which can compound the problem!
Lisa Chipps, MD noted that your skin has a long memory when it comes to UV damage – so the key is to invest in ways to boost new cell growth. To tackle wrinkled skin, find a product that can help your body create more collagen. Creams and face washes that have glycolic acid or retinol-A can help with that. However, these serums, creams and moisturizers may not be able to address deeper sun damage.
UV rays, which are found in tanning beds, can lead to sun-damaged skin.The deep skin fix
You can also consider treatments like a photofacial. This procedure, which uses broadband light, is non-invasive that can work more effectively to help you look and feel your best. Investing in non-invasive procedures like BBL™ BroadBand Light therapy can be a great way to help reverse the effects of sun damage. The pulsing light can help break up concentrations of melanin, lessening the look of sunspots. An additional benefit is broadband light can increase your body’s production of collagen – a process that continues even after you leave your BBL™ skin therapy session.
A photofacial is a long-lasting way to reverse sun damage to your skin. It’s also critical to continue practicing protective care. This can stave off additional sun damage and keep skin looking healthier for longer. Make sure to wear sunscreen with at least 30 SPF when out in the sun for long stretches of time. Include dark fruits and vegetables as part of your diet for an extra boost of antioxidants. Nutritionist Ian Marber noted that including drinks like black and green tea can help protect against UV rays.
Reverse the look of sun ravaged skin with a photofacial. Schedule a consultation today with Ideal Image to see how you can roll back the clock on your sun-damaged skin.
