Treatment for Sun Damage

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is sun damage?
  Sun damage, or photoaging, is cumulative skin damage caused by chronic exposure to ultraviolet radiation. It can lead to wrinkles, dark spots, rough texture, broken blood vessels, loss of elasticity, and precancerous growths called actinic keratoses.
• What are the signs of sun-damaged skin?
  Common signs include fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots or age spots, uneven skin tone, rough or leathery texture, broken blood vessels on the face, loss of firmness, and dry skin. Rough, scaly patches called actinic keratoses may also appear on sun-exposed areas.
• What causes sun damage to the skin?
  Sun damage develops through cumulative ultraviolet exposure. UVA rays penetrate deeply into the skin and break down collagen and elastin fibers, while UVB rays damage the outer layer. UV radiation also generates reactive oxygen species that damage DNA in skin cells.
• When should I see a doctor for sun-damaged skin?
  See a dermatologist if you notice a new or changing rough, scaly patch on sun-exposed skin, a spot that bleeds or does not heal, or a rapid change in a lesion’s color or size. You can also seek a professional evaluation to discuss treatment options for cosmetic concerns related to sun damage.
• How is sun damage treated?
  Treatment options include laser therapy, chemical peels, intense pulsed light (IPL), microneedling, topical retinoids, and antioxidant serums. Precancerous actinic keratoses may be treated with cryotherapy or photodynamic therapy. Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen is essential to prevent further damage.
• Can sun damage be reversed?
  Sun damage cannot be fully reversed, but many visible changes can be significantly improved. Dermatological treatments can soften wrinkles, lighten dark spots, improve texture, and stimulate collagen production. Consistent sun protection helps prevent additional damage and supports treatment results.
• How can I prevent further sun damage?
  Prevention centers on daily broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, reapplied every two hours while outdoors. Protective clothing, wide-brimmed hats, and shade during peak UV hours also help. Avoiding tanning beds eliminates a significant source of ultraviolet exposure.
• Is treating sun damage cosmetic or medical?
  It is routinely both. Harmless solar lentigines, actinic keratoses, and early skin cancers can all appear as flat or scaly patches on sun-exposed skin, and they cannot reliably be distinguished by eye. An actinic keratosis has a small but real chance of progressing to squamous cell carcinoma. Treating these spots for appearance alone addresses their color while leaving their biology untouched. Photoaged skin therefore needs assessment by someone qualified to distinguish the lesions before a device is chosen, rather than relying on what appears harmless in the mirror. We have dermatology in house, so that evaluation can take place here.
• What is the difference between BBL and a resurfacing laser for sun damage?
  They address different features of sun damage. Broadband light is absorbed selectively by pigment and by the hemoglobin in dilated vessels, clearing brown spots and redness with essentially no wound and little downtime while leaving texture largely unchanged. A fractional resurfacing laser injures columns of skin to trigger collagen remodeling, improving texture, fine lines, and scarring while requiring real healing time. Photoaged skin usually has both color and surface changes, so the treatments are frequently sequenced across separate visits. We offer Halo, BBL, and ProFractional. Whether color or texture is treated first depends on your skin, and we curate that sequence with you.