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What is Sun Damage? Can you reverse Sun Damage?

It feels good to spend time in the sunshine, but it can harm your skin and cause you sunburn. Any harm caused by the sun to your body is known as sun damage. When you spend so much time in the sun, the sun gives off ultraviolet light that damages your skin and causes sun damage. These rays can lead to dark spots, wrinkles, and so on. 

Sun damage often looks different across skin tones. In lighter skin types, fine lines and discoloration will be evident, while in darker skin types, discoloration is the most well-known feature of sun damage. UV exposure is the reason behind 80% of your skin’s aging. Sun damage also causes skin cancer, which is the most common of all cancers. Doctors believe most skin cancers can be avoided by preventing sun damage. 

Sun is known as the natural source of vitamin D, and we all have been taught that we need sunlight for our body because vitamin D is not found naturally. But today, many foods are surrounded by vitamins and minerals during the manufacturing process. So, you should avoid the sun as much as possible. And if you’re going outside, then make sure that you take all the precautions. 

Sunbathing
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Can we Reverse Sun Damage?? 

Many dermatologists say that – “Yes, it’s possible to reverse or treat some types of sun damage.” If you have discoloration, wrinkles, or other photoaged skin characteristics, it can be treated by laser treatment, gels, topical creams, or some medications. 

Sometimes home treatments might help too. Humectants and emollients are a great source to keep your skin hydrated and smooth. Some Anti-aging topicals like antioxidants, alpha-hydroxy acidsretinoids can also help. 

But you can only treat the aesthetic effects of sun damage. You can’t reverse DNA damage caused by the Sun. Once the DNA mutation has occurred, there is no way to undo that. The cells need to be destroyed by outside or inside the body. The Skin Cancer Foundation proves that if you have more than five sunburns, your risk for melanoma will double. 

Prevention is the key to avoiding sun damage from UV rays. So, there are some of the Working Methods to Reverse Sun Damage which is suggested by the Dermatologists: 

Using Sun Protection Products

It is very important to use sun protection products to get rid of sun damage. However, there are many products available in the market like sunscreen, lotion, exfoliator, moisturizer, etc., that contain high SPF that ultimately helps in sun protection. 

To choose the best product in the market, you can check style care beauty that provides detailed reviews of every product to make your decision wisely. 

Suntan lotion
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Exfoliate

Exfoliation is a great way to repair sun damage to your skin. It is a great way of removing dead skin cells from your skin. It’s the best way to remove layers of dead and darkened cells holding clumps of brown pigments. Exfoliation stimulates the growth of new skin cells and makes your skin look brighter and smoother. 

There are two types of Exfoliation- Physical exfoliants and Chemical Exfoliants. Physical exfoliants use little granules to scrub away dead skin cells, and Chemical exfoliates gently dissolve dead skin cells. Chemical Exfoliation is a great method to reverse sun damage. 

Chemical Peels 

It is a type of non-surgical procedure that is used to improve skin appearance. Treatment varies according to the types of skin. It can be medium, deep, or superficial. It depends on your skin type and cosmetic goal. 

After a medium peel, you may experience redness and swelling on your skin. Deeper and Medium peel requires a longer recovery time. A Chemical performs different sessions or as a one-time treatment. It depends on the peel depth. 

Peels are used to remove the outermost and dead skin layer of the skin, so that new and clear skin can come. Removal will also take precancerous lesions, fine lines, and uneven pigmentation after your sessions take care of your skin. 

Chemical peels
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Laser Therapy

Laser treatments are the best treatment for sun damage. And they give the finest results on the neck, face, and chest. There are several kinds of laser treatments to reduce the appearance of sun damage. 

Light-based devices 

Greenlight laser treatment will improve your redness, skin texture, blotchiness, brown spots, and broken veins. It is a great treatment for blood vessels. It gives you way better results than creams and chemical peels. Greenlight laser treatment is pain-free, and it also improves the blood circulation in the treatment area. Doctors recommend this treatment because it improves your immune response and healing process. There are some of the precautions which patient must discuss with their Doctors:

  • Avoid sunbathing, chemical peels, or waxing for two weeks before the treatment. 
  • Avoid deodorants and perfumes after the treatment. 
  • Avoid herbal supplements and anti-inflammatory drugs. 

 Fractionated non-ablative lasers 

Fractionated lasers stimulate the natural healing process to create new collagen. As they heal, the skin re-emerged with a smoother appearance. Some of the temporary side effects of this treatment are lightening or darkening of the skin, swelling, redness, and Infection. But these are the temporary side effects, and they are last for hours only. After this treatment, your skin takes several months to show full effect. 

Ablative Lasers 

Laser treatment
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These are the deeper lasers that destroy the top layer of the skin. They are used to recover deeper pigmentation, growth of fine wrinkles, and lines. It requires more time in laser recovery. But Ablative lasers give the best result, and it makes your skin glow naturally and removes 80% of the deep line and wrinkles

After this treatment, your skin takes approx. Two weeks to get recovered. So, take your prescribed medicines daily because you might experience pain, burning, and itching on your skin due to this treatment. You can also use ice packs to relieve pain.  

Get your Vitamin A

Retinol, a derivative of Vitamin A, is the best method for reversing sun damage. Retinol helps your skin to shed dead cells and produce new and healthier cells. It improves the pigmentation of your skin and fades the brown spots on your skin. It also helps you to soften the fine line and wrinkles. There are a lot of different retinol products like gels, creams, and so on. 

Note: Women who are pregnant should stay away from retinol as it could affect the baby.

Conclusion

So, these are some of the methods for reversing sun damage. As dermatologists say, don’t wait for sun damage signs because prevention is always better than cure. And it’s never too late to start adopting good sun safety habits. 

Make sure you always wear sunscreen that contains an SPF of at least 30. Stay protected in the sun. Carry your sunglasses, UV protective clothing, and a hat. 

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