There are two kinds of sun damage. There’s the kind we can see visibly, which leads to skin irregularities like brown spots, uneven tone, broken blood vessels, or even wrinkles and increased volume loss. The kind we don’t often think about is deeper, at the cellular level. This is the kind of sun damage that accumulates over a lifetime.
On average, people experience the majority of their sun exposure before they reach 20, and 90% of the sun damage we develop happens to us before we turn 18. Prevention with sunscreen is critical, but for patients with existing sun damage, Dr. Zenovia Gabriel and the ZENA Medical team can reverse its effects on your skin and restore skin health at a cellular level.
Taking care of your skin at an internal level can help combat sun damage deep in the tissues. Vitamin D, antioxidants (like astaxanthin), Vitamin C, and omega and oral supplements all help you maintain optimal skin health. Nutriceuticals support cellular function, and photozymes, which are plant-based enzymes that reverse cellular level sun damage, are found in many skincare products.
ZENA Medical specialists often recommend these products for clients interested in reversing sun damage, particularly those who work outdoors. Dr. ZENA’s favorite is “DNA youth recovery serum” and ISDIN sunscreen.
For patients looking for a more proactive approach to reversing existing sun damage, FDA-approved photodynamic therapies combine light-sensitive medications with a laser to remove abnormal pigmentation spots and skin lesions caused by harmful UV rays. This treatment can also target cellular mutations and precancers that lead to more concerning skin issues.
This is defined as sun damage we can see—brown spots, hyperpigmentation, broken blood vessels, melasma, and skin cancer.
ZENA Medical has many treatment options for reversing this kind of sun damage, not only for a clearer complexion but for the peace of mind that your skin is the healthiest it can be.
Laser treatments, such as the Clarity laser, target pigmentation beneath the surface to break up clusters of cells that have over-produced melanin, which will even out your skin’s texture and tone for a smoother, clear complexion.
We can also specifically target rosacea and broken vessels, and skin irregularities caused by sun damage. The number of laser systems available at ZENA Medical for skin rejuvenation means there’s bound to be a treatment suitable for you.
Chemical peels are highly personalized formulas with acids designed to remove the damaged top layer of your skin. While this sounds harsh, today’s chemical peels are highly refined compared to those of the 90s. By removing the damaged cells that accumulate at the skin’s surface, chemical peels reveal new, healthy skin cells that are much better suited to protect you from the sun’s harmful rays.
Microneedling can also reverse sun damage and prep your skin with tiny micro-channels through which customized medical-grade serums can be infused to protect your skin and repair the damage the sun has already brought.
Your ZENA Medical specialist will help you determine the treatment that’s right for you after a thorough evaluation of your skin’s condition during your comprehensive consultation.
For some patients, laser treatment will be the best course of action, and the most suitable laser procedure is determined by the severity of damage and your Fitzpatrick Scale skin type. For fair, light skin, Fraxel, CO2 skin resurfacing, or photodynamic therapy may be most appropriate. For patients with more olive skin tones and darker hair and eyes, gentler lasers, such as the LaseMD or Spectra, are the treatment of choice. For other patients, chemical peels or microneedling may be more appropriate.
What treatment you have to reverse sun damage will determine the steps your procedure will take. To keep our patients comfortable and relaxed, we offer numbing solutions for your procedure, and our facilities are cozy and private.
Your ZENA Medical provider will be sure you have all the aftercare instructions you need for your particular treatment, so you’re set up for the best results we can provide at the end of your appointment. Some laser treatments will require a series of sessions to help you achieve your desired level of sun damage reversal.
Downtime is determined by which procedure you experience. Most treatments bring patients social downtime due to skin redness or sensitivity, while some of the deeper treatments can require up to 1 week of recovery.
The best answer to sun damage is to prevent it altogether, with daily topical applications of sunblock and a DNA repair enzyme. The use of products containing retinol and tretinoin is effective for improving sun damage at the cellular level. In fact, studies show that after 2 years of use of prescription retinol can prevent not just sun damage but also skin cancer.
For patients who’ve already accumulated sun damage, the results you can achieve with ZENA Medical skin rejuvenation treatments will even out your skin’s tone, diminish age spots, hyperpigmentation, and broken blood vessels, and improve your skin’s overall condition.
If you’d like to learn more about reversing sun damage, we encourage you to schedule a private consultation with your personal assessment at ZENA Medical in Newport Beach, California today. Call us at (949) 200-8222 or fill out our convenient online contact form. We look forward to meeting you!
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Lorraine Grassmann
OFFICE Manager
949-200-8222
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