If the summer months have left you with blotchy skin, light freckles or patches of discolored skin, you could be a good candidate for a mini makeover. Sun damage can cause significant changes on the skin’s surface, but many of these effects can be reversed with some
skin rejuvenation procedures.
Whether your goal is to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, get rid of sun spots or even out your skin tone, here are some of the top treatments that can help to reverse sun damage from summer:
Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is one of the simplest ways to reverse summer sun damage. This procedure involves lightly ‘sandblasting’ the skin using fine diamond crystals to remove the top layer of skin and reveal the fresher layer underneath. This skin rejuvenation procedure is essentially a polishing treatment that can help to get rid of dead skin cells, smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, and even out your skin tone.
Chemical Peels
If you are looking for an aggressive treatment that will get rid of dark skin patches and help to even out your skin tone, a chemical peel may be a good match for you. Medium to deep chemical peels ‘burn’ the skin so that it sheds quickly, leaving you with a fresher, healthier layer that’s free of any sun damage.
Chemical peels can be combined with microdermabrasion to give your skin a healthier glow and boost collagen production.
Photo Rejuvenation
Photo rejuvenation is designed to target the deeper tissues of the skin by emitting intense pulsed light to the skin’s surface and triggering collagen production. This skin rejuvenation procedure can help to reverse several effects of sun damage, and also help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
Laser Skin Resurfacing
One of the more aggressive skin polishing treatments,
laser skin resurfacing works by vaporizing the upper layers of skin using light energy. This is a step up from microdermabrasion, and can be particularly effective at getting rid of age spots and sun spots, removing freckles and evening out your skin tone. However, there is a significant amount of downtime involved with this skin rejuvenation procedure.
Electrosurgical Resurfacing
Electrosurgical resurfacing is often referred to as ‘cold ablation’ because it delivers a pulse of micro-electrical radio frequency energy directly into the skin. Electrosurgical resurfacing procedures are designed to improve skin imperfections including pigmented areas, freckles and some of the signs of aging. This procedure is slightly less aggressive than laser skin resurfacing, and may be a better choice for you if you are looking for a procedure with minimal downtime.
When it comes to reversing sun damage of the skin from summer, you have several options to choose from. Microdermabrasion and chemical peels are the least aggressive options to help restore skin to a healthier state, and laser and light energy can be used for correcting more resistant skin imperfections.
Learn more about
skin rejuvenation procedures in our information guide, or consult with a cosmetic dermatologist in your area to find out which treatments may be the best fit for you.
Published: 09/18/2009, Last Updated: 09/18/2009
By LocateADoc.com Medical Staff Writers
Our writers strive to present an objective, upfront and open view of the medical procedures you're interested in. We present you with both the good and bad, and work to represent both doctors' and patients' points of view. Our articles contain facts and statistics obtained from medical associations, medical and surgical journals, and through doctor and patient interviews.