Sun Damage

Reversing and Preventing Skin Damage from the Sun

Here is Southern California a “tan” is way of life. We’ve dangerously accepted that a tan makes us look healthy, vigorous and carefree. In actuality, persistent overdoses of UV rays from the sun is the quickest way to weathered older-looking skin. Spots, dots, roughness, mottled hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, dryness, and pre-cancerous lesions (actinic keratoses) are all part and parcel of an outdoor lifestyle that most of us assume is a healthy one.

Where Sun Damage hits hardest:

  • Face
  • Neck
  • Chest
  • Arms

Skin Care Beverly Hills

Why Sun Damages Your Skin

The ultraviolet rays of the sun initially incite a response from the melanin-making cells in your skin. This is your “tan” – which is actually your body’s protective mechanism. A little sun makes us all feel better, but too much and too often – as we’re prone to in this part of the country – starts a cascade of events that dramatically affect smooth even-toned skin and turn it into weathered, blotchy, leathery skin.

DNA changes alter the way your skin cells reproduce, giving rise to abnormal cell growth and potential skin cancer. Dehydration brings on wrinkles and roughness. Over-stimulated melanin cells produce brown spots and splotches – and sometimes they turn off, leaving white spots mixed in with the brown.* *Tanning Salons carry just as much potential damage as natural sun.

Sun Damage is cumulative. Even small insults build up over time. Whether you are indoor or out, in a car or by a window, take the time to apply sunscreen as a first step of the day.

From sunburn to skin cancer, you can point a finger at the sun. Dr. Zaks will individually recommend how you can protect your skin from future damage and regain much of the youthful look you may have lost over the years from damage that’s already occurred. Mayo Clinic Sun Damage Slideshow.

 

 

What can I do to get my “good skin” back?

There are treatments available that will improve the appearance of photodamaged skin on the face, neck, chest and arms.
Chemical Peels are champions at removing dull, rough skin, fine wrinkles and pigmentation.

Vbeam Laser comes to the rescue for broken veins caused by too-frequent sun exposure.

Cosmelan lightens melasma and other hyperpigmentation with special non-hydroquinone treatment pdoucts

Dermal fillers such as Restylane handle wrinkles that have come to stay, along with Botox.

Will sunscreen be all I need to protect my skin from future sun damage?

In an ideal world, we’d all be wary of the sun and take the concept of sun protection very seriously. The price you pay for being somewhat cavalier in applying sunscreen and overdoing it at the beach, on the golf course or tennis court can be a heavy one indeed.

A sunscreen with minimum SPF and broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection needs to be used every day, year round. Sunscreens with chemical action takes 30 minutes to act. Sun blocks (those products which  contain Titanium Dioxide or Zinc Oxide) are
immediate. Use them everywhere your skin is exposed, not just your face. Your arms and hands will show sun damage and are actually more resistant to “correction” than your face.

Hats are elegant as well as practical on women and make for excellent additional protection. Beach umbrellas are a must for days on the sand. Your sun damage started when you were young, so protect your kids from the start. They may look cute with a baby tan, but what’s happening beneath can turn into something very serious when they grow to be adults.

Ultimately, the best way to “correct” sun damage is to prevent it from happening.

Contact Us Schedule a Consultation

SUPERIOR Beverly Hills Dermatology Clinic, Inc
435 N. Roxbury Drive
Suite 408
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Call: 310-552-3376
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