Sun Damaged Skin
Sun damaged skin is a fact of life when living in the wonderful climate of Australia. Fortunately there are various treatments we can use to correct damage such as premature ageing and sun spots.
Australians live in a wonderful climate of warmth and sunshine. We are the envy of our Northern Hemisphere forebears who suffer the drudgery of cold, cloudy, sunless days.
Fair Skin
Unfortunately for the majority of us who have fair skin, the sun is also our enemy. Fair skin was not designed to have frequent exposure to sunlight. The damage caused by sunlight is accumulative. This means that the damage the sun does to your skin occurs every time you are exposed to the sun, even for a few minutes or even through the window of a car or building. You do not have to get “sun burnt” to have sun damaged skin. Sun damage includes lines & wrinkles, pigmentation, blood vessels, brown spots and open pores. The major danger of sun damage is skin cancer, especially melanoma or cancerous change in a mole. More common are hyperkeratoses, which are the thick, scaly patches seen especially on the hands and arms.
True Cancers
Hyperkeratoses are not true cancers, but most will eventually become cancerous with time. The two common skin cancers are SCC’s (Squamous Cell Carcinoma) and BCC (Basal Cell Carcinoma). These usually need treatment by either surgery or radiotherapy. A new development in the treatment of skin cancer is photodynamic therapy. This technique uses substances (such as aminolevulinic acid), which penetrate the abnormal cells. When light of a special color is put on the skin the substance is converted into a toxic chemical which destroys the cancer cells leaving virtually no scar as normal cells are preserved.
The major concern for most people with sun damaged skin is the cosmetic appearance of the yellow, waxy, lined skin. Prevention is still the best cure. Slip, slop, slap is a very wise motto. Sun damaged skin can be improved firstly by good skin care. We recomend ASAP 30+ Moisturising Sunscreen.
Treatments Available
- Chemical peels
- Resurfacing using the Fraxel Laser
- Resurfacing using a Carbon Dioxide Laser
- Photofacial Rejuvenation (IPL)
- Photo Dynamic Therapy (PDT)
Chemical Peels
Australian Skin Clinics offer Glycolic, Lactic, TCA and Specialist peels for Melasma and other conditions. Read more on Chemical Peels.
Fraxel Laser
Is a safe resurfacing procedure for aging, sun damaged or scarred skin. The Fraxel stimulates the body to replace scarred aged and photo damaged collagen, producing outstanding results with precise control and minimal Fraxel down time. Most clients will only require a topical anaesthesia. Read more on Fraxel Laser Resurfacing.
Laser Resurfacing
Laser resurfacing is a well-established, revolutionary technique for rejuvenating the skin. It requires only local anaesthetic and a mild sedation, which can be administered either by mouth or by injection. There is very little discomfort afterwards as the laser seals the nerve endings. Read more on Laser Resurfacing.
Photofacial Rejuvenation (IPL).
Using the concept of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) to do a series of treatments to sun damaged skin, this technique can improve the appearance of brown spots, blood vessels, open pores and fine lines. The big advantage is that there is usually no down time with this type of treatment making it an excellent choice for busy people who cannot afford down time. Read more on Photofacial Rejuvenation.
Photo Dynamic Therapy (PDT).
Photo Dynamic Therapy is a unique treatment for unhealthy sun damaged skin on the face and body. This treatment is particularly suited to those with roughened sunspots and pre-cancerous lesions. Amino Levulinic Acid (ALA) is applied as a lotion to the treatment area and allowd to soak into the skin for two hours. The ALA specifically targets sun damaged or unhealthy skin cells and is not attracted to normal, healthy skin cells. Read more on Photo Dynamic Therapy.
For more information, please call on 07 5509 0077 or complete the contact form below.
