After-Summer Skin Damage Repair
Year after year, summer after summer, we start to notice our skin losing elasticity and developing new, larger or darker brown spots on the face, chest, arms or legs. Fortunately, more people are now educated about the risk of excessive sun exposure and are taking sun protection more seriously.
When skin looks and feels old - leathery with brown spots and wrinkles - regret sets in. But select strategies can reverse some of the damage and help skin look healthier.
I like to offer a variety of skin care products to meet various the needs of various skin types. To treat sun damage I recommend the following skin care to my patients:
- Facial cleanser (exfoliating or gentle depending on skin type) to remove makeup, impurities and excess oil without irritating. Select hypoallergenic and sulfate- and paraben-free products.
- Antioxidant toner containing aloe vera, a natural moisturizer that contains properties that heal, soothe and hydrate, and CoQ10, a powerful antioxidant with properties that build and fortify new cells and tissue.
- Alpha hydroxy acid 10% exfoliating cream containing glycolic, lactic and pyruvic acids, a powerful combination that loosens and exfoliates dead, keratinized skin cells, leaving skin receptive for subsequent treatment.
- Bleaching agents containing hydroquinone 4% to 8%, which inhibits melanin production (whether combined or with kojic acid 3% or not) to whiten and brighten skin discoloration or pigment spots.
- Tretinoin (0.025% to 0.01%), which penetrates into the dermis, increases collagen, normalizes elastin and melanin production and increases cellular turnover.
- Sun protection with UVA and UVB coverage.
A series of one or a combination of the following strategies have proven to be effective in reversing sun damage visible on the skin. They vary widely in depth of penetration, results, downtime and cost.
- Microdermabrasion
- Chemical Peels
- Photorejuvenation
- Laser toning
- Brown spot laser treatment
- Fractional laser resurfacing
Using the recommended skin care regime on a regular basis in combination with any of the above treatments can produce more refreshed and radiant skin.