Stop the Spots
Sun Spots, Age Spots, & Freckles
With summer in full swing, it is easy to expose your skin to UV damage. Although you can’t go back in time, you can undo some of the injuries-such as age sun spots, age spots, freckles and wrinkles. It is never too late to take steps to eradicate past sun damage, rejuvenate your skin and prevent further injury. Read on to learn more about the latest technological advances and complexion protecting strategies that can save your skin.
Sun Damage Solutions
The first line of defense is a topical lightening cream or serums with ingredients such as vitamin C, alpha or beta acids, or prescription vitamin A products, such as Renova to even out skin tone and lighten freckles. Pycnogenol and Ultra Indinol Plus nutritional supplements offer sun protection from the inside out. Chemical peels are the next level. If you have mild blotchiness, an at-home peel kit or serum can leave your complexion looking smoother and more luminous. For more noticeable results, an in-spa chemical peel can lighten your complexion and smooth out rough uneven texture. However, more significant and lasting results may require a series of three to five IPL/BBL procedures. With IPL/BBL, the light penetrates the skin without removing it, frequently referred to as a “lunchtime” treatment. After these treatments, it’s important to use sun block and stay out of the sun to prevent further pigmentation problems.
Solution: Lightening creams & serums, nutritional supplements, chemical peels, IPL/BBL
Professional at-home chemical peel kits and serums increase cell turnover to diminish fine lines and improve the texture and overall tone of sun damaged or aging skin. These treatments require a consistent regimen to maintain results. For more noticeable and lasting results, a Microlaser Peel is complexion saving solution. The energy and heat of this laser procedure removes the damaged, surface layers of the skin-allowing new, fresher, healthier skin to be revealed upon healing. The Microlaser Peel offers dramatic and lasting results, but comes with risks and downtime.
Solution: At-home chemical peel kits, Microlaser Peel
Sun Exposure — Sunscreen-101
Types of sunscreens
There are two principal types of sunscreens: physical blocks, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which act as a barrier and reflect UVA and UVB rays and chemical blocks, such as benzophenones (oxybenzone) which act as a filter to absorb UVB and some UVA light. Although much of the focus has been on UVB rays-considered the “burning” rays that cause skin cancer and premature aging-the American Academy of Dermatology has found UVA rays or the “tanning” rays”, penetrate deeper than UVB rays and are just as harmful. The sunscreen ingredient Parson 1789 acts as a specific UVA blocker and is the only pure UVA-blocking sunscreen ingredient approved for use in the U.S. For maximum protection, look for a sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher that also contains Parsol.
How and when to apply
The number-one way to protect the skin is to use a broad-spectrum sunblock that blocks harmful UVA and UVB rays and has an SPF of 30 or higher. SPF refers to the amount of extra time you can spend in the sun without burning. An SPF of 30 means you can stay in the sun 30 times longer than normal. So if you burn within five minutes, an SPF of 30 would protect you for about two and a half hours.
Sunscreen should be applied about 20 minutes prior to heading outside; then reapplied every one to two hours and after swimming or exercise. It is smart to wear sunblock every day-even on cloudy days-since you’re always prone to sunburn. Most exposure to the sun’s damaging rays happens when you’re doing everyday activities like driving in your car and running errands outside. Spa 35 carries a variety of moisturizers, sunscreens & make-up that can provide you skin with the needed UVA and UVB coverage.
Assessing UV damage and skin health with computerized digital imaging software
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that is truly the case with two flashes of white light, computerized digital imaging and a sophisticated mathematical algorithm — a relatively new diagnostic tool in skin care. A picture of your skin is taken using a UV light, which highlights the areas of latent sun damage. The image shows pigmentation, sun spots, age spots, freckles and melasma (brown patches associated with hormone fluctuations). “Most individuals aren’t aware of the degree of damage or problems with their skin, or they need to be convinced they actually have sun damage. A Skinscan is a good tool because it brings out what may not be obvious to the naked eye” according to Devery Danforth, Education Director for Spa 35.
The camera is effective at highlighting the contrasts between the color of skin and the spots both on the surface and subsurface of your skin. “Once individuals see the damage, particularly subsurface damage that isn’t visible in the mirror, they are often more motivated to take care of their skin and protect it from the sun” states Danforth. “What’s more, after receiving a procedure to correct sun damage, Spa 35 can track the effectiveness and success of a treatment regimen with a before and after photo feature to show the level of improvement.”