Fix Summer Sun Damage

Dr. Steve Jepson with the Utah Dermatological & Medical Procedures Clinic is here with four ways to reverse that summer sun damage.

Now that summer is coming to an end, a lot of people are focusing their attention on repairing the facial sun damage sustained over the last 3 or 4 months. I am seeing lots of patients right now, wanting to get rid of new or worsened brown spots. And it’s not only brown spots that you should worry about – too much sun exposure will cause wrinkles, too. So here are four ways to minimize summer sun damage.

1. Continue to Wear Sunscreen – Just because we don’t see as much sun in the fall and winter, doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t continue to wear sunscreen. Cumulative sun exposure, even though not as intense now, will continue to damage your skin. An ounce of prevention is always worth a pound of cure. Wear sunscreen everyday–year round.

2. Use a Daily Moisturizer with Anti-oxidants – UV radiation from the sun triggers the formation of “free radicals” in your skin. Think of these free radicals as tiny “Pacmen” scooting around eating up your skin’s collagen, thereby causing the formation of wrinkles. You can prevent the wrinkles from forming if you can destroy the free radicals. Anti-oxidants destroy free radicals. Many moisturizers now contain antioxidants. A popular grocery store example is Oil of Olay Regenerist. Any vitamin is an anti-oxidant. Popular skin care vitamins include Vitamins C, B, E, and A. Other common anti-oxidants that can be found in quality skin care products include Co-Enzyme Q10, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, and Red or Green Tea Extract. You will always get higher more effective concentrations of anti-oxidants if you buy your moisturizer at a doctor’s office. I carry several moisturizers within my own Pelle Di Giovane line that contain high concentrations of the best anti-oxidants including my EveryDay Moisture and Total Facial Rejuvenator. These can be ordered over the phone by calling my office. Any of my knowledgeable staff can help you choose which product is right for your skin.

3. Get a Micro-Dermabrasion or Chemical Peel – These two treatments mildy exofoliate the outer layer of your skin. You can expect brighter, smoother skin; and mild sun-induced pigment will lighten as well. You can expect some mild redness in your skin for about 24 hours after either of these procedures, but neither are associated with significant downtime as the redness is very easily covered with makeup. Our master esthetician Mistee Montanye is currently offering an end-of- summer special that combines these two treatments (for even greater effect) for only $75.

4. Get an Active FX Laser Treatment – Laser is the most aggressive way to treat sun damage, and the most effective. My most popular laser treatment, called Active FX, will remove all of your unwanted sun-induced brown pigment in one single treatment, plus has the additional benefit of significant skin tightening and wrinkle reduction. We are currently running an end-of-summer special on Active FX–20% off this very popular procedure.