Most of us love to enjoy a sunny and warm afternoon whether it is on the beach, in the park, or even on a terrace.
And it is that as we know the sun and sunbathing can bring us a lot of benefits for our skin, since thanks to this we receive doses of Vitamin D which is essential to show off healthy skin.
However, excessive sun exposure can also have great consequences for us, causing different types of skin damage.
Among these can be found cases such as premature aging, wrinkles, freckles, uneven skin tone, etc.
Fortunately, there are different types of treatments that you can access to treat these cases, yes, we recommend that you visit your trusted dermatologist before undergoing any of them.
To know more about how you can treat sun-damaged skin, I suggest you read this article that we have prepared.
How do I know if I have sun-damaged skin?
Not only sun exposure for a long time and without protection can cause damage to our skin, but also the use of devices such as tanning beds, that is why you must be very careful not to abuse them.
Sun damage to the skin can look in different ways, some of the symptoms that you should take into account are the following.
- Stains
- wrinkles
- Burns from prolonged exposure (usually happen at the beach)
- Areas of discoloration that may look like freckles
- Neck burns that are usually itchy
- Moles
- Scaly or bumpy patches of skin
How to treat sun-damaged skin?
Treatments for sun-damaged skin can vary depending on the level of damage, as well as how long you’ve been in the sun.
These treatments can range from taking analgesics to reduce the pain caused by sunburn to treatments that involve more complicated procedures that must be carried out by experts, especially dermatologists.
Home treatments for sun-damaged skin
Corticosteroid creams
One of the advantages of these creams is that they do not need a prescription, it is best to use these creams when the damage is mild to moderate.
Don’t pop the blisters
If blisters appear, do not pinch them or try to pop them; In case they break, what you should do is clean the area with water and mild soap, apply a cream that contains antibiotics, and finally, cover the affected area with a bandage.
Constantly refreshes your skin
Make sure to keep your skin cool, place a damp towel over the area. Another option is to take a bath at room temperature with 60 grams of baking soda.
Moisturizing cream, lotion, or gel
Aloe vera is an excellent option to cool and soothe the skin.
Use SPF
Remember that the use of sunscreen should be daily and even on cloudy days, in case you have sunburns try not to expose yourself to the sun, if this is something difficult to achieve, protect your skin with the use of sunscreen.
Be careful with flaking
It is very common that when skin suffers sunburn to a certain superficial extent, days later it begins to dry out as the body begins to get rid of the damaged skin. While this is happening, try to keep your skin hydrated.
Medical treatments for sun-damaged skin
Chemical peels
Peels performed by experts are always an excellent option to treat the skin, and when it comes to damage caused by sun exposure, it is no exception.
What happens with chemical peels are used to reduce the irregular color of the skin and superficial scars as they help to generate new skin, improving its appearance.
Dermabrasion
This type of treatment acts on the skin by removing the upper layers with a manual or electric machine that works by gently ‘scraping’ the skin. It is generally used in areas of the face that have scars; The result obtained is fresher and smoother-looking skin.
Tretinoin
Creams that have tretinoin as components must be prescribed by a doctor and are most often used when you want to improve the appearance of wrinkles, rough skin, fine lines, etc. Contains vitamin A.
Botulinum toxin type A
This type of substance is used to immobilize the muscles of the face and prevent furrows and wrinkles from forming. If wrinkles are already noticeable, this helps minimize their appearance.
The most common is that it is used in areas such as the forehead and around the eyes.
Dermal filler injections
Dermal filler injections work as an attempt to replace the natural collagen that is lost over the years, or in this case, with excessive sun exposure.
With the use of dermal filler injections, wrinkles that appear due to loss of volume and repetitive movements of the facial muscles are treated.
Intense pulsed light therapy
One of the great advantages of this treatment is that using multiple wavelengths of light does not damage the upper layers of the skin.
The best products to treat sun-damaged skin
Skinceuticals C,E, Ferulic
Thanks to the fact that it contains vitamin C and vitamin E, it protects the skin from damage caused by the sun, as well as reduces fine lines and sunspots.
Murad Retinol Youth Renewing Serum
Retinol is known for the excellent results it shows in the treatment of sun-damaged skin, however, at the same time it is known to be a treatment that can cause discomfort if not used properly.
We recommend that before you start using it, you seek advice from a dermatologist to do it gradually so that you can obtain the desired result.
Paula’s Choice Resist 10% Niacinamide Booster
This serum from Paula’s Choice is the best option for treating uneven skin texture, as well as enlarged pores and fine lines.
Another of its star ingredients is vitamin C, which helps to have younger-looking skin and reduce redness.
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum
Because it is made with AHAs, it helps gently remove dead cells from the skin’s surface.
In addition to this, the 1% of BHA that makes it up, acts as an agent to unclog the pores of your skin.
Other ingredients are cactus extract, raspberry, and white tea extract, which will help you to have much younger and brighter skin.
Long exposure to the sun is one of the main causes of premature aging of our skin, in addition to the risk of suffering from many other diseases such as skin cancer.
Always remember to protect yourself with the use of sunscreen even on cloudy days or winter season.
If you get to suffer a burn from sun exposure, remember to follow some of the advice that we have just shared with you and consult your dermatologist.
