There are plenty of reasons to be excited for summer, but one definite negative is the toll sun damage takes on your skin. Sun damage, also known as photodamage, is one of the most common skin health issues. Sun exposure ages the skin like nothing else – but it also causes cancer.

May was Skin Cancer Awareness Month and since we’re about to gear up for summer, we all need to be more aware of how much damage the sun can do. We don’t only want to protect our skin from the sun because beautiful skin is our best accessory – we also want to protect our health. Most people, however, believe skin aging from the sun is a more likely risk of sun exposure than melanoma.

Science calls aging senescence, which is a complicated name for an equally complicated process. As you get older, there are many changes that take place affecting your skin health. Hormonal fluctuations, years of dietary or other habits and sun exposure or other outside elements can all cause skin damage.

When it comes to repairing something like sun damage, it is important to carefully consider available treatments before choosing a repair method that is most likely to work.

Common Skin Problems Associated with Age

Sun damage, scientifically referred to as photodamage, is one of the most common skin problems associated with age. To put it simply, photodamage is caused by ultraviolet light sources. The most obvious of those sources is the sun. However, frequent visits to tanning salons can also leave your skin open to photodamage over time. Pigment changes are often caused by sun damage, in case you were wondering where all of those unwanted brown spots on your face came from. You may also experience other changes to your skin like drier skin or skin growths.

You are protecting your skin by avoiding the sun when possible, wearing a hat, sitting in the shade or applying sunscreen. However, if sun damage has already occurred, you may need to consider how you can repair the damage.

Wrinkles are also common skin problems. While they can be caused by sun damage, other factors also contribute to them. For example, your body produces less collagen when you get older. Collagen is a substance that helps your skin stay taut and firm. Wrinkles can also develop faster if you smoke or are exposed to other hazardous materials frequently.

Anti-Aging Laser Treatments to Repair Skin Damage

If you haven’t been careful in the sun, you can still take steps to reverse the sun damage. There are several ways to alleviate your concerns over your skin conditions associated with aging. Most of them require you to visit your local skincare clinic. Among the clinical treatments widely available are laser procedures. Clinicians have used lasers successfully to treat a wide range of skin concerns. For example, ablative lasers are often used to perform laser peels.

Laser peels use lasers to remove surface blemishes and dirt or grime that can clog your pores, leading to skin conditions. Removal of dead skin cells with a laser peel can also help you because your skin naturally dies and sheds off your body, but the speed at which it does so reduces as you get older. A procedure like a laser peel can speed that process along.
Of course, you can also have other laser skincare procedures performed. For instance, non-ablative laser treatment gets down deep into your skin tissue.

By targeting lower layers of skin cells and causing changes at the molecular level, your skin can begin to heal. Your body can start to perform some of those repairs itself, such as by making more of the natural components necessary for healthy skin, like collagen.

Clinical Wrinkle Treatments to Try

If wrinkles are your problem, there are many clinical wrinkle treatments to try. One option is Botulinum toxin (Botox). Botox injections temporarily freeze the muscles in the areas local to the injections. That causes wrinkles to vanish. Alternatively, you can combat wrinkles with filler injections. Many fillers are available, including hyaluronic acid. Most of them also help to strengthen skin cells.

Other Clinical and At-Home Anti-Aging Options

Other skin conditions may require various other types and levels of treatment. For example, you might simply suffer from dry skin. If so, the application of a moisturizing cream at home can help keep your skin healthier. However, you must remember to reply that cream regularly, and remember that sun exposure can significantly dry out your skin. Alternatively, you might be worried about other skin changes, such as pigment alteration. Chemical peels or other clinical techniques may be needed to reverse those issues. Talk to your skincare clinician to get your skin properly assessed and see what treatment or combination of treatments is necessary.