Types of Sun Damaged Skin & Treatment

In South Florida, sun damaged skin is common among both men and women. We live a life of fun in the sun, filled with beach days, weekends by the pool, and outdoor adventures. However, with so much time exposed to those UV rays, you may find yourself wondering how to repair sun damaged skin. Luckily, sun damaged skin treatment is available. It’s non-invasive, virtually painless, has little-to-no side effects, and can help individuals with all types of skin damage. To get started, schedule a free consultation at a Body Details True Laser® Center near you today.

Types of Sun Damage and Symptoms

There are many different types of sun damaged skin, and each condition requires customized treatment to receive the best results. At Body Details, an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) or Physician’s Assistant (PA) will develop a comprehensive treatment plan that is specifically formulated to address your unique skincare concerns.

Common types of sun-damaged skin include:

• Uneven pigmentation. Uneven pigmentation that results from sun damage often appears as red blotches or marks on the skin. Small blood vessels under your skin may stretch and expand, making them more visible to the naked eye. You may also notice that your skin appears mottled or splotchy even after you avoid the sun for extended periods.
• Sunspots. Sunspots, also sometimes referred to as liver spots, are dark marks that can form on the surface of the skin after years of sun exposure. They are slightly bigger than freckles and are generally flat. However, with sun damaged skin treatment, they do not have to be permanent and the laser specialists at Body Details can effectively treat them.
• Solar elastosis. It’s no secret that as we age, our skin loses elasticity, becoming looser around the neck, chin, and jowls. Sun damage can speed this process up, leading to signs of premature aging such as sagging, creasing, and wrinkles. UV rays break down collagen and connective tissue, which are responsible for keeping skin firm and elastic. This connective tissue is deep within the layers of the skin–to address the problem you will require professional sun damaged skin treatment.
• Melasma. Melasma is a skin condition that commonly affects women, particularly those who take birth control or hormone therapy medications. It is also common in pregnant women. Melasma creates dark spots on the skin, typically on the face, after prolonged sun exposure in combination with high levels of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.
• Poikiloderma. Poikiloderma commonly affects the front of the neck and the upper chest and appears as dark pigmentation that can look like a deep sunburn, with white and red splotches.
• Actinic keratoses. Actinic keratoses often appears on the face arms, hands, and ears. It occurs when sun-damaged skin results in rough, dry, scaly patches. It can appear in a range of colors, from white to pink, red, or brown. Getting the best sun-damaged skin treatment is imperative if you have actinic keratoses as it can lead to skin cancer down the road.
• Fine lines and wrinkles. As prolonged exposure to UV rays causes the collagen in your skin to break down, it can lead to fine lines and wrinkles which can cause you to appear older than you are. However, sun damaged skin treatment can often minimize the appearance of these fine lines and restore a youthful appearance. Fine lines and wrinkles often appear on the neck, forehead, around the eyes and mouth, and more.

Repairing Sun Damaged Skin

At Body Details, sun damaged skin treatment is quick, effective, and virtually pain-free. Using the strongest medical class of lasers approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), our APRNs and PAs precisely target the damaged skin cells while leaving the surrounding cells unharmed. This process helps your body to begin producing collagen and elastin, improving skin’s appearance and elasticity.

Acute Sun Damage

At one point or another, everyone will suffer from acute sun damaged skin. The most common form of this sun damage is sunburn, which occurs when your skin absorbs UV rays. While most sunburn is minor, repeated damage can have lasting effects on your skin. Your skin may blister or begin to peel, leading to uneven pigmentation, and repeated sunburns increase your chance of developing skin cancer over time.

Many individuals are aware of the dangers associated with sunburn but believe that getting a skin tan is safe. However, over tanning or tanning for extended periods also increases your chance of developing skin cancer.

Another form of acute sun damage is photosensitivity, which is a reaction your skin can have to sun exposure when you are taking certain medications or using specific products. Women taking certain birth control pills, for example, are more likely to have an adverse reaction to the sun. Additionally, there are some skin creams and perfumes that can cause an adverse reaction.

If you are suffering from acute sun damaged skin, laser treatment is not the best course of action. Sun damaged skin treatment with a laser works best after your skin heals from such a reaction. Our medical experts recommend that you avoid direct sun exposure for two weeks leading up to treatment so that your skin is as healthy as possible for your appointment.

To repair sun damaged skin after getting a sunburn or prolonged tanning, speak with our medical experts and laser specialists for the best advice. We can recommend the best moisturizers and protective products to help your skin bounce back and heal before you undergo laser treatment.

Long-Term Sun Damage

Long-term, or chronic, sun damage is damage that your skin sustains over time, as a result of repeated sun exposure. The hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and wrinkles mentioned above are unlikely to result from a single session in the sun, but can manifest after years leaving their mark.

To repair sun damaged skin that results from these chronic conditions, an APRN or PA at Body Details will evaluate the area you are looking to treat and help formulate a comprehensive plan. It is essential to avoid chronic sun damaged skin as it does increase your chance of developing skin cancer. It is never too late to start protecting your skin and you can reverse or minimize some of the signs of chronic sun damaged skin with the appropriate laser treatment.

True Laser® Specialists

At Body Details, you will receive treatment to repair sun damaged skin from True Laser® specialists. We hire medical professionals to administer treatment–unlike any MedSpa you may have heard of. That’s because we are not a MedSpa at all. We are a real medical facility. Each of our APRNs and PAs undergoes training with the Body Details medical experts as well as the manufacturers of the lasers we use to treat your skin.

Laser treatment to repair sun damaged skin is a simple and straightforward process. Depending on the size of the area you are treating, sessions may take as little as twenty minutes. Larger areas can take up to one hour to treat. Additionally, some patients report seeing results after just a single treatment. Others prefer to make laser facials and laser skin rejuvenation part of their regular beauty routines, coming back for routine treatments. Speak with your True Laser® specialist to develop a plan that is right for you and that meets the needs of your skin.

Some chronic, long-term sun damage may require multiple treatments, such as hyperpigmentation or reducing the appearance of sunspots. Treatments will take place over several weeks, allowing your sun damaged skin time to fully heal and restore between treatments. During this time it is imperative that you continue to avoid direct exposure to sunlight and use sunscreen. In between laser treatment sessions, your skin may be particularly sensitive, leading to an increased chance of more sun damage if you have prolonged exposure to UV rays.

Preventative Techniques to Prevent Sun Damaged Skin

While the proper laser treatment protocol can help repair sun damaged skin, using preventative techniques is the key to minimizing the effects that UV rays can have on your skin. Speak with your True Laser® specialist regarding the best methods to help prevent sun damage to your skin.

Basic preventative methods to protect your skin from the sun include:

• Wearing a high-SPF sunscreen on a daily basis
• Re-apply sunscreen liberally when you are sweating or in the water
• Wear a hat when you are outdoors
• Wear long sleeves outdoors
• When spending time in the sun, bring an umbrella to provide shade
• Limit the amount of time you spend in the sun
• Avoid tanning beds
• Ask your doctor about possible reactions medication you are taking may have with sun exposure

Additionally, laser treatments that can help repair sun damaged skin may also help prevent the effects from appearing in the first place. Routine laser treatments stimulate collagen and elastin production and help your skin maintain elasticity, which can ward off signs of sun damage such as fine lines and wrinkles. Making laser skin treatment part of your beauty regimen can help eliminate damaged skin cells before they lead to visible marks, and diminish the appearance of marks that are visible. Men and women alike see successful results with laser skin treatment, enabling them to have vibrant, radiant skin while treating imperfections.

Laser skin treatment for sun damaged skin has the following benefits:

• Smooth, even skin tone
• Reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Skin that appears more youthful and vibrant
• A reduction in the appearance of red marks and splotches
• A reduction in the appearance of sunspots and liver spots
• And more

Schedule Your FREE Consultation

If you are looking to repair sun damaged skin, laser treatment may be the best course of action. It is entirely non-invasive, has little-to-no-side effects, and is virtually pain-free. Additionally, at Body Details we offer flexible financing plans to those who qualify, so it can also be affordable.

If you have sun damaged skin, whether it be fine lines and wrinkles, sun spots, or uneven pigmentation, schedule your FREE consultation with a True Laser® specialist today. A laser specialist at Body Details will examine the area of skin you are looking to treat, evaluate your skin type and sensitivity, and develop a laser treatment plan to properly address your needs.

When you undergo laser skin treatment at Body Details, you will also receive a 3D face or body scan with our QuantifiCare camera (available at most of our centers) which provides a comprehensive image of your skin and any imperfections that may not be visible to the naked eye.

If you’re ready to start treating your sun damaged skin, schedule a FREE consultation at Body Details today.