The effects of sun damage on your skin & what you can do about it

We all love a sun holiday, even if our irish skin can’t keep up with the weather and we end up resembling a squashie by the time it's over. However, have you ever thought about the effects of being in the sun for a prolonged period of time?

The no.1 cause for premature skin ageing is unprotected sun exposure. UVA and UVB rays from the sun both damage the skin in different ways. UVB rays are responsible for burnt, red skin while UVA rays penetrate into the skin and cause DNA damage. An obvious sign of skin damage is sunburn. While most sunburn is treatable and wont last long, the damage is permanent. Over time, excessive sun exposure will dry out your skin, leaving it dull and lifeless as well as destroying the collagen and elastin in your skin too; resulting in wrinkles. (This speeds up the ageing process.) UV rays also encourage hyperpigmentation, as mentioned earlier. While mostly cosmetic, frequent unprotected sun exposure and sunburn will increase your risk of skin cancer. This is why sun protection is vital. So what can I do?

Fortunately, at the clinic we offer a range of excellent treatments paired with excellent results for pigmentation and skin damage, which can treat mild to severe cases. We also offer skincare products catered to you to treat your pigmentation from home. In clinic treatments

• Laser Pigmentation Removal - targets the specific area of pigmentation as the laser is absorbed only by cells containing an excessive concentration of pigmentation causing efficient destruction, leaving the surrounding tissue undamaged.

• Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) - draws the discolouration to the surface of the skin, allowing the dermis to begin the healing process of correcting the blemishes.

• Chemical Peels & Skin Peels (ranging in strength and depth)- uses acids at stronger concentrations to treat the area of skin. Reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation by removing the top layer of your skin (epidermis). Deeper peels can penetrate the middle layer of your skin (dermis) to produce more intense results.

• PRP - Injecting your own blood plasma, that is rich in platelets and fortified with vitamins and nutrients into the skin. Evening out pigmentation.

• Skin Boosters - Xela Rederm is an injectable hyaluronic acid treatment for skin rejuvenation that contains succinic acid which assists in the removal of pigmentation.

• Microneedling - a minimally invasive treatment in which tiny puncture holes are created in the skin using micro-fine needles. Once micro-channels have been created, products applied topically, such as, serums for specifically targeting pigmentation are able to penetrate deeper into the skin in order to work more effectively.

• Microdermabrasion - A non-surgical skin resurfacing procedure. It works by removing the dead outer layer of the skin with fine medical grade crystals and a vacuum suction applied to the skin. This deep exfoliation process can lift superficial pigmentation and expose the new skin cells underneath, improving the appearance of the skin’s surface. Without the stratum corneum acting as a barrier, the skin is more receptive to the active ingredients in skin products for specifically targeting pigmentation.

• Combination treatments - All treatments can be supercharged by combining them for optimal results. (a) PRP (the Vampire Facial) + Microneedling + Dermalux LED light therapy (b) Microdermabrasion + Chemical Peel + Dermalux LED Light therapy. The microdermabrasion will exfoliate the dead skin cells allowing the peel to penetrate deeper into the dermis to treat deeper set pigmentation (c) Microdermabrasion + IPL or Chemical Peel + IPL. Again, the microdermabrasion or the chemical peel will exfoliate the dead skin cells allowing the IPL to penetrate deeper into the dermis to treat deeper set pigmentation. (d) Chemical Peel + Microneedling + PRP(the vampire facial) + Dermalux LED light therapy. This is a more aggressive treatment to target pigmentation but it delivers super results, not only for pigmentation but also for skin rejuvenation.

All of these treatments should be complimented by a medical grade cosmeceutical level homecare regimen, with scientifically formulated products containing specific ingredients and delivery systems for treating pigmentation. The therapeutic action of any of these products is to inhibit Tyrosinase, a key enzyme in the Melanin production. Please see examples of these ingredients below:

• Glycolic acid

• Kojic acid

• Azelaic acid

• Retinoic acids

• Niacinamide

• Arbutin

• Licorice root

• Glutathione

• Vitamin C

Severe deep dermal pigmentation may need to be treated with hydroquinone prescribed by a medical professional only.

SPF (Sun Protection Factor) Need we stress more the importance of applying a broad spectrum sunscreen with protection against UVA,UVB and visible light. This can play a huge role in preventing and treating the exacerbation of pigmentation disorders. We have an amazing offer up at the moment that not only treats pigmentation, but also stimulates collagen production, improves fine lines and wrinkles, treats facial thread veins, improves the skin’s tone and texture and improves dry dull lacklustre skin.

You can find more information about this offer on the home page, Instagram or Facebook under the “Target Post Summer Pigmentation" tab. This offer is a combination treatment including IPL + Microdermabrasion + Chemical Peels. It consists of a course of 4 treatments spaced 1 month apart all for only 150 euro per treatment.

To arrange a consultation please phone: 085 8168020, email: info@skinand.ie or book in online at www.skinand.ie or DM on instagram, facebook or TikTok.