Treatments offered include:
- Topical medications, medical-grade products
- Customized chemical peels
- Photorejuvenation with Intense Pulsed Light laser technology
- Pixel™ laser skin resurfacing
- Photodynamic therapy
- Microdermabrasion
The damage that needs to be repaired can include:
- Freckles that refuse to fade
- Larger brown or gray spots
- Brown patches known as melasma
- Rough, scaly patches or Actinic Keratoses (AKs)
Of course, some of these concerns are associated with other factors. For example, melasma is often called mask of pregnancy for good reason. It’s thought female hormones are a big factor behind these brownish splotches, but melasma often becomes worse following sun exposure.
There are also other troublesome effects of ultraviolet radiation not limited to pigmentation problems. UV rays break down firming collagen and the elastin that gives skin its ability to spring back. As this process occurs, skin may sag, and you may have deeper creases and wrinkles in once taut and smooth areas. For these types of concerns, Dr. Selkin can suggest still other treatments, including dermal fillers to plump up sunken or saggy skin, and neuromodulators like Botox to smooth lines and wrinkles.
Many of the treatments can address these signs of sun damage and aging all at once. Some treatments can be administered at the same time for a customized treatment plan.
What drives your treatment plan?
The type of medications or therapies used to repair your sun damage depends on a number of considerations, such as:
- Your skin tone
- Extent and severity of damage
- Type of damage
- Existing medication use
- Preexisting medical conditions
- Factors that can increase your risk of side effects
Generally, freckles and dark spots are superficial types of sun damage. For this reason, a topical treatment might work wonders to repair hyperpigmentation in the superficial layers of skin. Melasma generally affects a deeper layer of skin, the dermis, and can be more challenging to treat but is certainly still treatable with prescription medicine or the procedures mentioned above such as microdermabrasion and chemical peels. There is also a new microneedling technique known as the “Skin Pen 2” which is showing promise for hyperpigmentation.
Wear your sunscreen! Preventive products stop conditions from getting worse or from starting in the first place. Moreover, you avoid the most alarming condition associated with sun exposure — skin cancer. Make an appointment with our experienced dermatologists, knowing that sun damage repair can have consequences for not only how you look but for your overall health and wellness.