Whether you’re an avid runner or love relaxing on the beach with a pair of sunglasses and a book, you have spent long stretches of time in the sun – and if you’re like most of us, your time outdoors may not have included slathering on sunscreen. This can lead to skin that changes in texture, loses elasticity or reveals dark splotches on your chest, arms, neck and face. These changes are signals that your skin has suffered from sun damage – and can age you. Roll back the clock and remove the aging effects of the sun. There are a range of different procedures you can try:
Retinol-A creams
You will typically see these used for removing signs of sun damage – like wrinkles or age spots – on your face. Retinol A works to increase skin’s firmness by assisting your body’s natural collagen production.
“Unfortunately as you age, the skin cells stop maturing and they tend to pile up,” dermatologist Doris Day noted. Retinol products, she added, work “on a molecular level to normalize cell turnover.”
While retinol-A products address skin elasticity, they aren’t ideal for reversing the look of redness or dark brown spots. You may want to consider asking a specialist about broadband light treatments, an FDA-approved procedure that can help erase age spots.
Prolonged sun exposure can lead to sun-damaged skin.Photofacials
Photofacials use broadband light to go beyond the skin’s surface to undo sun damage. Dr. Adam Schneider recommended broadband light procedures, as they can repair skin on a genetic level. Why is that important? If your cells are repaired, you can see more healthy skin cells being created, which can lead to smoother, brighter skin. Unlike other invasive procedures, photofacials have about one week of downtime where you should avoid sun exposure. You can also have this procedure done on dark spots on other areas of skin, like Megan Gustashaw, from Glamour magazine, did.
In addition, this procedure can help naturally revitalize your body’s collagen production. After several sessions, you will continue to see brighter, younger-looking skin. The effects can last up to one year after your last procedure.
Sun damage can make your skin look and feel old. However, you can reverse the effects to get smoother skin that will keep everyone guessing your age. Schedule a free consultation at Ideal Image to see how we can help.
