10 Jun Prevent AND Treat Sun Damage this Summer
Sun damage is the leading cause of signs of aging and skin cancer—and it’s 100 percent preventable. However, if your parents didn’t keep you constantly shaded and slathered in sunscreen from the moment you were born, don’t worry. You can also treat the signs of sun damage. At RefinedMD, we take both a medical and cosmetic approach to sun damage. Since sun damage causes skin cancer, it’s critical that you up your sun protection game now with annual mole checks and medical-grade sunscreen. And about that sun damage you already suffered that’s making you look older than you are? We have the treatment for that, too.
Medical-grade sunscreens (and other skin care products) are essential for protecting your skin from damaging UV rays. Sunscreen should be applied liberally 30 minutes before your skin is exposed to the sun and then reapplied every 75 minutes. This includes when you’re sitting by a window, driving, and even on cloudy days. A lot of people improve their sunscreen usage in summer months, but consider this time of year a reminder to get better at applying sunscreen all year long. We’ll match you with a medical-grade sunscreen that works for your skin and budget.
Sun Damage Reversal
Sun damage is both immediate and progressive. The first sign of sun damage is pink skin, followed by a sunburn and maybe a tan. This is your skin’s way of initially protecting itself. More melanin (a tan) is your body’s natural response. However, the full effect of sun damage can take years to show up. Those brown spots on your face, chest, collarbone, and tops of your hands don’t come from the afternoon lunch in the sun last week. They are likely the result of unprotected time in the sun from years ago.
We call some brown spots “age spots” or “sun spots” because that’s exactly what they are. If you have freckles, you might notice that you have more of them right after spending time in the sun, but all types of “brown spots” are different. We look older when we have sun damage because we inherently know older people have more brown spots!
But we also have ways to remove them.
Why Get Rid of Brown Spots?
If you have brown spots, age spots, or liver spots, there’s a good chance you want to get rid of them. They make you look older and tired. After all, you don’t spot any teenagers with these spots! Youthful skin typically only has freckles and moles. There are many ways we can banish brown spots including lasers, eneergy-based devices, and chemical peels. These are the most common and effective means of clearing the skin and taking years off your appearance.
Lasers and chemical peels are fantastic at blasting away unwanted hyperpigmentation, but they also do much more. These treatments are great for improving skin laxity, reducing lines and wrinkles, and even removing acne scarring. Your skin also revs up collagen production after these treatments, which is the secret ingredient to looking young and refreshed. This means that the results will get better and better in the weeks following your treatment.
Too Much Brown Got You Down?
It’s never too late to improve your sun protection regimen. Plus, the science is always getting updated! Not too long ago it was recommended that you reapply sunscreen every 90 minutes—now it’s every 75. You can further keep your skin safe by wearing loose, long-sleeved clothing in the summer, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses with built-in UV protection. Seek out shade when you can and keep your medical-grade sunscreen at home, in the car, at work, and any other place you frequent.
Connect with RefinedMD today via the phone, online chat, or fill out the online form to learn more about sun protection or schedule your appointment for brown spot removal.