One of the most common causes of premature aging in men and women in the United States is sun damage. Spending a great deal of time out in the sun or in tanning salons without proper skin protection can cause sunspots (dark blemishes on the skin), wrinkles, leathery skin, and numerous other skin conditions that all make you look older. Thankfully, there are ways that you can repair sun damage on your skin. Get to know some of these treatment options and give them a try so you can get and maintain healthier and younger looking skin.

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy

One of the dermatological treatments to repair sun damage is a form of laser treatment known as intense pulsed light therapy. Intense pulsed light therapy, also known as IPL, is a non-invasive skin treatment that is quick and virtually painless, normally taking less than an hour to perform. 

Your dermatologist will use a laser to penetrate your skin and cause changes in the way the cells of the skin are functioning. The blood vessels that supply your skin will be constricted by the laser. This effect triggers a reaction in the body to produce more collagen and send more nutrients to the skin to compensate.

Collagen is a protein that is naturally found in the skin. It plumps the skin, keeping it from sagging and looking sallow, which by its very nature makes skin look more youthful and less wrinkled.

Topical Treatments For Sunspots

Age spots or sunspots are small patches of your skin that are darker than the rest of your skin. These spots, also referred to by doctors as hyperpigmentation, occur because of damage to the skin.

There are numerous ways to treat sunspots. However, the most popular and least invasive treatment options involve the application of topical creams or ointments. Using a topical treatment that contains retinoids can be a very effective sunspot treatment. Retinoids are substances that help remove dead skin cells from the surface of your skin and encourage the skin to continue to shed those unwanted upper layers of skin cells.

This process triggered by retinoids can help get rid of the darker pigmented cells and lighten the sunspots over time. Products that also contain hydroquinone or kojic acid can also help to lighten the pigmentation of the skin. However, these products can also cause skin irritation, especially if you overuse them. Be careful to follow the use instructions exactly and consult with your dermatologist if you do experience irritation.

Now that you know a few of your treatment options for repairing sun damage, you can begin the process and get the younger, healthier skin you have been looking for. To learn more, speak with a business like Advanced Dermatology & Skin Cancer Specialists.