Photoaging and What You Can Do About It

It’s officially summertime in some parts of the world, and every year we like to address what might be the most important consideration when it comes to skin care: Photoaging. The truth is, that glowing orb that provides us with light and heat is also bombarding us with UV light and radiation every day. This impacts how our skin ages, and too much sun can lead to signs of premature aging, sun spots, discoloration, and sun damage. Everyone will experience some form of photoaging. The good news is, there are ways to prevent how daily sun exposure affects the skin without avoiding the sun entirely. Here are the facts about photoaging, and what you can do about it.

What Is Photoaging?

Photoaging is damage to the skin caused by exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet light, and it’s responsible for 90% of the visible changes you see in your skin as you age. Wrinkles, sagging skin, brown spots, and the discoloration known as melasma: all these skin concerns are signs of photoaging. It’s important to note as well that sunlight isn’t the only external contributor to photoaging. Blue light exposure is now known to be a similar contributor to skin damage. Chronic high exposure to the blue light projected from your phone, computer, tablet, and television screen will speed up the aging process of your skin. Since technology has become a necessary part of modern life, all this is to say that some element of photoaging is unavoidable. Still, there are effective ways to prevent and treat it.

How To Stop The Signs Of Photoaging

Sun Protection

Sun protection is so important that we’ve written about it a lot. At the very minimum, there are three simple steps to protecting skin from sun damage that everyone should follow. Wear sunscreen daily, avoid too much exposure, and if you do spend time in the sun, wear protective clothing like a hat and sunglasses. These easy habits will go a long way to reducing the signs of premature aging, while still allowing you to have some fun in the sun.  

Skin Care

A daily skin care routine is vital at all ages, and it can also be a powerful weapon against sun damage. Besides sunscreen, you can treat photoaging topically with ingredients like hyaluronic acid to treat dryness, Vitamin C to help brighten dark spots and anti-aging retinol. However, these can only go so far as to improve the look of the skin, since they don’t penetrate very deeply into the skin’s layers. The only way to treat photoaging below the surface is with aesthetic treatments.

Aesthetic Treatments 

Prevention is always best, but acquiring some signs of sun damage is unavoidable. Aesthetic treatments are an excellent way to intervene in the progressive nature of sun damage. Leaving photoaging untreated will allow it to become more evident in appearance. Thankfully, the benefits of aesthetic treatments are accumulative as well, which means that the earlier you start treating the signs of sun damage early, the more they will improve over time.

Photofacial Treatment Benefits 

Photofacial treatments are a safe, non-surgical way to improve the look of aging and discoloration due to sun damage, Using Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology to rejuvenate skin from beneath the surface, photofacials reinvigorate the skin’s natural production of what is collagen and elastin, and improve skin tone and texture for a radiant, younger-looking appearance. Not only will they help resolve the signs of photoaging, but they have a number of other benefits as well: 

They’re For Face And Body

Most people tend to think of photofacial treatments as being just for the face, but this procedure can also be used to treat problem areas on the neck, shoulders, and chest. Since sun damage can show up anywhere the skin has had exposure, photofacial treatments are able to be used on any body area. 

They’re Quick And Comfortable

IPL treatments usually take between 15-30 minutes, so they easily fit into busy lifestyles. Also, rest assured that the treatments are painless. If at any time you do experience slight discomfort, your treatment provider will adjust your treatment immediately to make it more comfortable.  

They Improve Skin Tone & Texture

Photofacials address a number of skin issues besides sun damage. They can reduce redness, resolve acne, address vascular irregularities, smooth out areas of uneven texture, and fade away hyperpigmentation. Whatever your current skin concerns, IPL photofacial therapy is a great way to reveal a more even and radiant complexion.

Wear Less Makeup

The impulse to wear more makeup as skin imperfections arise is strong. However, makeup might be aging you as well, preventing breathability, weighing it down, and causing undue stress from the friction created by putting it on and taking it off. The better option would be to seek out the benefits of an aesthetic treatment to reduce the signs of sun damage and improve the overall look and health of the skin so that products like foundation, powder, and concealer become unnecessary.

No Downtime 

Unlike more invasive treatments or chemical peels, with an IPL photofacial it’s possible to resume your normal activities right after the treatment. As long as you’re following the recommended sun protection after treatment, there’s nothing to restrict you from resuming your life immediately.

Photoaging can be treated, and there’s no better time to do so than right now. To find a qualified photofacial treatment provider near you, use the search field provided below.