A wrinkly, blotchy, leathery skin doesn’t have to be a life sentence after years of sun exposure. Best you prevent it, or if the damage is done, time to take steps to reverse at least some of it. The sooner you start, the better…
If you’ve ever watched the old movie There’s something about Mary, one of the most memorable characters (not in a good way) is Mary’s neighbour – an older woman with perma-tanned skin that looks like hard, crumpled leather.
Granted, this was a deliberate comic exaggeration, but hers is an example of skin that been severely sun damaged. She is addicted to tanning and looks old well beyond her years.
We predict lots of visits to skin clinics in her future.
The moral of the story is that while many of us may like the look of a sun-bronzed skin when we are young, being a sun bunny is not advisable for all sort of reasons – from skin ageing to cancer.
Sunny South Africa
Sure, you may be thinking, but this is SA. How do we avoid the sun when we have some of the sunniest weather in the world, and we love our sport and being outdoors? It’s not easy, and why would we want to deprive ourselves of the glorious climate we are blessed with?
We can’t – and don’t – always want to avoid the sun, so we need to protect ourselves with sun-safe habits.
The alarming thing is that most of the damage is done well before our twenties, while we are kids at school, running around blissfully ignorant of the long-term damage we’re doing to our skin. This is why it is especially important to teach our kids about sun safety.
The truth about skin ageing
Besides the fine lines and dehydration some of us will start seeing in our late twenties, the true extent of the damage done to our skin will become painfully visible from our forties, when blotchy pigmentation rises to the surface, skin starts losing its elasticity, becomes drier, dull and rough, and deeper wrinkling becomes visible. It’s all about what’s going on underneath:
If you want to see what’s going on below the surface – even when your skin is vibrant and youthful – skin specialists have diagnostic machines that show up the damage that’s not yet visible. Caution: it can be a bit of an unpleasant surprise.
If you know that you spent a lot of time in the sun in your youth, we advise you to be proactive and start tackling the sun damage as soon as possible.
But if you are already seeing the results of your years as a sun worshipper on your skin, don’t despair!
It’s never too late
Fortunately, all is not lost and there are lots of things you can do about it – provided you know the signs and how to treat them.
At Skin Renewal, we can do a lot to help rejuvenate sun-damaged skin.
The first thing that must be understood is that sun damage is a complex condition and there isn’t a single treatment that can address all the signs.
This is why we have a number of in-office Pigmentation & Sun Damage Solutions. Each is a combination of treatments that are carefully paired to help target each aspect of sun damage and enhance each other’s effects.
Real results with a custom solution
Your skin is unique, as is the amount of sun damage you have. So, there’s no one- size-fits-all solution. (If you are promised one at a skin clinic, you should be careful, as this could actually harm your skin).
This is why your sun damage-correcting journey at Skin Renewal will always start with a consultation with one of our highly skilled medical doctors. Once they’ve assessed the condition of your skin, they will suggest the solution that will give you the very best results possible.
- If you have mild sun damage, for example, you might get great results from our Essential Pigmentation & Sun Damage Solution. This includes either a Limelight or Photo Genesis treatment. Both are IPL (intense pulsed light) treatments. They are a most effective way to target mild pigmentation as well as visible blood capillaries.
- If your situation is a bit more serious, however, you might be a good candidate for our Advanced PLUS Pigmentation and Sun Damage Solution. This consists of two different types of peels to help lift pigmentation and improve your skin’s texture, plus a Laser Genesis treatment. The latter can boost your skin’s collagen content in a way that softens wrinkles and improves firmness, while also reducing the look of pigmentation.
- We have solutions that are able to treat all skin tones, as well as stages of sun damage.
The bottom line
As we have mentioned, when it comes to sun damage, prevention is always better than cure. However, if you’re struggling with any of the signs of sun damaged skin, make an appointment to chat with either a doctor or therapist at Skin Renewal.
Soon, a more youthful-looking, even-toned and rejuvenated complexion could be yours to enjoy.
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