It was Sun Awareness Week earlier this month and therefore, we have brought you information on how to look after your skin in the sun. To read this post, read it here…
But, what if you have already spent too much time in the sun? Is it too late to do anything about the sun damage your skin has suffered?
Not so long ago, the answer would have been yes. But, with advances in aesthetic medicine, we can now offer some excellent cosmetic treatments that will actually reverse sun damage.
Here are our top picks for rejuvenating skin damaged by the sun.
Peel away sun damage
When you tan your skin, you are actually damaging it. The small brown marks and freckles left behind as your tan fades are signs that the damage has not healed. A course of medical skin peels will fade or even eliminate pigmentation, restoring smoother, even-toned skin.
Medical peels are the strongest chemical peels available and can only be administered by a doctor. In order to ensure you are getting the correct level of peel, you will need to have a consultation first. Many patients have a series of peels from a mild lactic acid, graduating up to a medical peel. This is so that your skin becomes accustomed to the active ingredients without causing an adverse reaction.
Dermapen
About the size of a thick marker pen and with lots of tiny (one-use disposable) needles, Dermapen is great for treating fine lines and pigmentation caused by sun exposure. This process is also known as micro-needling.
Dermapen works on the principle that creating tiny wounds in the skin stimulates the skin’s own natural repair mechanism. As the skin repairs, tone and texture are greatly improved.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A, in the form of retinol, is a powerful cosmetic ingredient. In the correct formula, retinol can repair some skin ageing caused by the sun.
Originally only available on prescription from doctors and dermatologists, retinol is now a popular ingredient in beauty products. However, it can still only be obtained in strengths high enough to really make a difference from doctors.
Studies have shown that continued use of retinol can actually reverse the signs of ageing. It boosts collagen production and restores youthful plumpness to skin while minimising or even erasing fine lines and wrinkles. It will also improve hyperpigmentation.
We recommend retinol from ZO or glo therapeutics for their strength and delivery systems. Read more about ZO and glo…
Book a free consultation with one of our medical aesthetics experts to find out what a good retinol product could do for you.
Radio-frequency skin tightening
Carefully targeted thermal energy tightens and lifts skin, while stimulating collagen and elastin production. We use the award-winning Exilis Elite radio-frequency device as it is the best and most versatile on the market.
During this very simple procedure, a hand-piece is massaged across the target area and a combination of radio-frequency and ultrasound tightens, lifts and improves skin. Perfect for getting rid of turkey necks, firming jawlines and smoothing around the eyes. A course of six to eight treatments is usually required.
Before and after Exilis Elite photographs
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP)
Another clever way to stimulate collagen, this clever procedure uses your own blood to improve skin texture and leave it looking younger, plumper and fresher.
A small amount of blood, taken from your arm, is spun to separate it into red and white cells and platelets.
It is the healing properties of the platelets that perform the magic when they are injected back into the face, neck or décolletage. The platelets help rebuild and repair damaged and aged skin cells quickly, and growth factors in the platelets stimulate collagen production, meaning plumper, younger-looking skin.
PRP was originally used by sports doctors, who found that injecting platelet-rich plasma directly into injured muscle or joints accelerated recovery.
Once again it is your own, natural collagen restoring plumpness. Plus, as it is your blood being used to stimulate the process, nothing artificial is added at all.
Not just for the face – these before and after photographs show the results that can be achieved with PRP.
