Most people understand that too much sun exposure damages skin, but what really is skin damage? Simply, skin damage is any dryness, burning, redness, peeling, itching, swelling, or blistering that occurs as a direct result of too much sun exposure. Skin damage includes any sun burn, as well as less obvious chronic exposures that happen to people working outside or driving every day.
The skin has to heal itself after damage, just like with a wound. With repeated skin damage, the body can become unable to fully repair itself. This is long term skin damage that causes premature and excessive wrinkles, dry, spotted skin, and sometimes life-threatening cancer. Thankfully, skin damage can be prevented with attention to how long we are being exposed to damaging sunlight and by using sun screens, lotions, and chap-sticks that provide UV protection.
Products and procedures you can use at home
Immediate damage to the skin from sun exposure can be treated topically with aloe, lavender extract, vinegar, yogurt, oatmeal, cucumber, lemon, milk, and tea. These treatments provide relief from discomfort and help the body to repair the damaged skin. Remember to think of it as any other damage to your skin. Without proper healing, it will leave behind permanent damage.
Permanent skin damage from long term sun exposure is irreversible, but it is possible to soothe the skin and lessen the appearance of damage. Some essential oils with soothing and regenerative properties such as jojoba, lavender, mandarin, rose, and peppermint oil have been said to reduce the appearance of long term skin damage. Topical treatments made with Retinol, Alpha-Hydroxy acids, Hydroquinone, Tazarotene, and Tretinoin are reported to regrow newer, healthier skin or reduce melanin production to lessen the cosmetic effects of skin damage. It will likely take some time to visibly see results with any of these methods because the skin will need time to regrow and heal.
Solutions requiring surgery
Cosmetic surgeons offer chemical peels, injections, laser therapy, and dermabrasion to treat the visible effects of skin damage. Peels, dermabrasion, and lasers use a variety of methods to remove the outer layer of skin and force the skin to regrow itself. These options cause immediate and noticeable irritation, and changes in pigment and scarring could occur if the procedures are done incorrectly or too severely. Botox, made from botulism, and collagen can be injected into the skin to reduce the appearance of wrinkles caused by age and skin damage. As with other forms of cosmetic surgery, altering the body can sometimes cause unexpected results that the patient regrets.
As with most things, prevention is the easiest and most effective method of addressing a problem. Be mindful of the amount of time spent in the sun and the UV rating for the day. Always use products that provide UV protection. In the event that sun damage does occur, treat it appropriately. For permanent skin damage, consider some of the methods listed above to reverse some of the effects. Most importantly, it is never too late to take up these practices to limit future skin damage. plastic surgery Tucson Arizona based surgeon offers the latest and most advanced techniques in plastic surgery encompassing all parts of the body.
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