Prevent the Sunshine State Sun Damage
We’re heading into the hottest time of the year in the “Sunshine State!” While Florida is
beautiful in the summer and offers so many outdoor activities, it is most crucial to protect your skin
from sun damage. Hyperpigmentation can be obtained as easily as walking outside, but it is just as
simple to avoid sun damage through a little bit of education.
Ways to prevent sun damage:
Sun Protection- SPF, SPF, SPF… make it ubiquitous in your life. Whether you are working inside on the
computer, driving, or outside, SPF should always be apart of your daily routine. The sun is so powerful
that you need that extra barrier to protect your skin from the UVA/UVB rays. UV rays penetrate into the
skin and causes damage, initially resulting in a burn or darkening of the skin. The tan your skin forms is
also known as melanocytes that are activating in protection from the sun, which leaves behind the sun
damage we all try to avoid. As a preventative matter wear SPF 30+ and a wide brimmed hat.
Ways to eliminate sun damage:
IPL- INTENSE PULSE LIGHT is a laser treatment that is heat based and targets the color on your skin that
is separate from your natural melanin index levels, in other words the reds and the browns. When the
laser is fired on the skin, the hyperpigmentation soaks up the energy from the IPL and it breaks it up into
tiny little pieces. On the epidermis, after the melanin raises to the surface it will appear to resemble
coffee grounds, while in reality it is the broken up hyperpigmentation dispersing itself. These “coffee
grounds” flake off in up to two weeks leaving the complexion lighter and brighter.
PicoSure- This laser is a great alternative to IPL for skin types 4-6. Rather the being heat based like the
IPL is, the PicoSure device is an energy based Pico second laser that can target collagen, elastin, and
Hyperpigmentation. Not only does it “activate your skins natural skin cell process” but it also uses “high
and low intensity energy” that breaks down and lightens unwanted pigment. This is completed with
little to no downtime and great for all skin types.
Taking everything into account, be sure you take the steps to protect your skin barrier from the
sun. First and most importantly, wear sunscreen daily whether inside or out. When outside, go the extra
step and wear a hat to prevent the sun breaking through the sunscreen.
There are treatments offered that will help with hyperpigmentation, age spots, sun spots, freckles, and
broken capillaries, but it is pivotal to first learn how to protect your skin from that Florida sun.
Important Ingredients/Products to look into:
- Vitamin C
- Lactic acid
- Retinoids
- Kojic acid
- Licorice root
- African potato and Tara tree
- Gigawhite
- Biocomplex2
- Zinc oxide