Fall Skin Care
If you’re like most of us, at least a few of your summer days were spent soaking up the beautiful weather and the warmth of the sun’s rays. While these relaxing days are well deserved, you may notice changes in your skin if you didn’t take precaution against sun exposure. These irregularities may be in the form of extra freckles, texture changes, dark patches, pronounced sun spots or fine lines. You should be proactive in protecting yourself from UVA and UVB exposure, as it is harmful to the health and appearance of your skin. Lifestyle changes and treatment options can reverse some of the damage to restore the radiance of your skin. Here are a few steps to get you on the right path:
1. Resume your daily skin routine.
If you want to repair your sun damaged skin and restore your youthful glow, it is important to maintain your skincare regimen. It is essential to cleanse, tone, and moisturize twice daily. You should also be using an SPF all year round. Cleansing is essential in freeing your skin of any debris or dirt build up, while a toner assists in removing any oil or debris that the cleanser may have left behind. When your skin is free of debris or excess oil, this improves the health and radiance of your skin, alleviating some of the effects of the sun. Moisturizing is also important for sun damaged, dried-out skin. The lipids contained in moisturizers are essential to the quality of your skin because they keep the skin’s barrier healthy. Medical-grade moisturizers also contain important ingredients and antioxidants to help preserve your skin’s natural oils. While it is not necessary to exfoliate your skin daily, it is important to exfoliate sun damaged skin at least twice a week to remove the buildup of dead skin as a result of over-exposure to the sun’s rays.
2. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, and apply it multiple times throughout the day, every day in every season!
The role a good sunscreen plays in protecting your skin can never be stressed enough, as it is the key to radiant and healthy skin. If you are worried about sun damaged skin, we recommend limiting your daily sun exposure to allow your skin time to heal. When you go outside or know you will be exposed to UVA or UVB rays, be sure to apply broadband sunscreen beforehand. We recommend the SkinMedica® Total Defense + Repair, as it is a rejuvenating sunscreen that protects against infrared (heat) from the sun, UVA and UVB rays, and also contains antioxidants to aid in anti-aging. In combination with the Total Defense + Repair, we suggest the use of the SkinMedica® Lytera serum to help brighten areas of the skin darkened by sun damage and improve your skin’s overall condition.
3. Consider an aesthetic treatment to restore your healthy glow.
While maintaining your skincare regimen and remembering to apply sunscreen daily will promote radiant and healthy skin, treatments may be your best option to see dramatic results in sun damage reversal. Many of our clients see improvements with our laser peels, such as the MicroLaser Peel specially designed for sun damaged skin. BroadBand Light (BBL) therapy or the Halo® laser are other treatments that are capable of repairing sun damaged skin and promoting the growth of collagen, the building block of our skin. Of course, as with all aesthetic treatments, multiple treatments may be needed to see a dramatic improvement or to maintain your desired results. Because we always personalize our clients’ treatment plans, we will likely suggest a combination of different treatments to help you reach your skincare goals.
When it comes to reversing the effects of sun damage, everyone has different needs. If you want to learn more about how you can maintain a regimen to alleviate the effects of skin damage or the treatment options best for you, we would love to meet you! Call the Artisans for a complimentary consultation!