Is there a way to repair sun-damaged skin?
Long lazy youthful days spent lounging in the sun once they are appeared as a deep, bronze tan. But fast-forward 20 years and look again. Evidence of those carefree, unprotected hours in the sun now shows up on your face, chest, neck, and arms-it shows up as sun-damaged skin. The signs manifest themselves as fine to medium wrinkles, sagging of the skin, freckles, uneven skin tone, and dark spots. They sometimes appear as precancerous lesions or skin cancers. So, Is there a way to repair sun-damaged skin?
A good broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects from UV exposure is the first and most important step for people to take!
Preventing Skin Cancer
Sun damage can cause skin cancer; therefore, prevention is always a good defense mechanism against exposure to sun damage and further risk of skin cancer. Skin cancer-causing personalities, such as very fair skin or family lines of cases of skin cancer, should be more cautious about protecting themselves from the sun.
Sun-Damaged Skin Treatment
Sun damage treatments vary. While most patients can get topical creams and gels for daily use, chemical, and mechanical skin peels, as well as laser treatments, will provide the following: temporary fading of uneven pigment, smoothing of roughened or wrinkled skin, shrinking of pores, and even restart of collagen production.
Topical Creams and Gels
Retinoids
These compounds, which have a chemical structure based on vitamin A, cause skin cells to resurface and regenerate the skin, thus enhancing the turnover cycle of skin cells. They also promote the building of collagen, lighten dark pigmentation or brown spots, and theoretically, reduce pores.
Try: Bakuchiol Anti-aging Serum - Natural Retinol Alternative
Vitamin C and other antioxidants
These ingredients retard the degeneration of the skin resulting from free radical production that causes noticeable destruction. Antioxidants may slow signs of aging, reduce UV damage to the skin, and help delay the decline of collagen.
Try: Saffron Brightening Natural Vit C Serum
Exfoliants
Sun damage slows the turnover of skin cells or their self-replacement. This leads to dull, dry skin, irregular skin tone, and even blemishes and pores getting clogged. Chemical exfoliants can facilitate faster turnover of the skin cells.
Lightening Agents
Whitening or brightening cosmetics usually contain hydroquinone, a component proven to have skin-lightening effects. Combined with a retinoid, these can lighten but not necessarily eliminate superficial marks, uneven pigmentation, and spots from the sun.
Chemical Peels
It is a non-surgical procedure performed by a dermatologist with the use of different solutions to improve the skin's appearance. The depth of treatment varies. It can be superficial, medium, or deep depending on skin type and the cosmetic and therapeutic goal.
Laser Therapy
There are so many types of lasers, with all being able to correct nearly any area of the body to leave you looking less sun-damaged. Generally, laser treatments work best when we are treating the face, neck, and chest. All take less than 30 minutes, and downtime varies based on the type of laser. But Prana beauty products can also do their magic!
Light-Based Devices
Also referred to as photo rejuvenation, tools like intense pulsed light treatment are said to help improve the skin's texture, redness, broken veins, blotchiness, and brown spots. Nothing does better for blood vessels than a green light laser. Creams and chemical peels may not even come close.
Fractionated Non-Ablative Lasers
These lasers cause small deep wounds in the skin. As they heal, the skin re-emerges with an appearance much smoother and tighter. They stimulate the natural healing process to generate new collagen.
Ablative Lasers
These are more aggressive, deeper lasers that vaporize the top layer of skin. They are used for major damage including deeper pigmentation and growths to unevenness and deep lines and wrinkles. These lasers require a longer and more intense recovery period.
Also, check which brands of coconut oil can be referred to as the best coconut oil for oil pulling to enhance your mouth health!
Final Thoughts
Is there a way to repair sun-damaged skin? - Protecting the skin from sun damage is a process throughout your life. Unless one begins to practice sun-protective behaviors, individuals will continue to be exposed to skin-damaging UV rays. Prevention is important but if you're concerned about skin damage, play it safe and check in routinely with your dermatologist.
Browse Prana Wellness for holistic self-care solutions that enhance your beauty routine and overall well-being!
