Eterna Cosmetic Surgery

How to Treat Sun-Damaged Skin

Conveniently located to serve San Antonio, Eagle Pass and the surrounding area.

June 30, 2022

We all love the sun, but it doesn’t love us back. All that warmth feels good on our skin, but the results? Not so good. Fortunately, here at Eterna Cosmetic Surgery we have treatment options that can significantly improve the quality and appearance of sun-damaged skin.

Our foremost goal is always tailoring treatments to each patient’s specific skin concerns. Often, that means combining more than one type of treatment in order to achieve the best results. This can be especially important when it comes to sun damage because exposure to the sun (and wind) can damage the skin in multiple ways. You might be seeing:

  • Dry, cracked skin
  • Rough, uneven texture
  • Pigmentation problems such as blotchiness, redness, freckles and dark spots
  • Liver spots (technically known as solar lentigines)
  • Loose skin
  • Wrinkles
  • Spider veins

And it’s not only your face that can suffer the effects of sun exposure. Arms, legs and hands can also develop less-than-appealing wrinkles and spots that make you look older than your years. The damage may be visible on the surface, but sometimes the problem may lie below, within deeper layers of skin tissue. This calls for two different types of resurfacing, both ablative and non-ablative.

HALO Technology Provides Two-in-One Treatment

HALO is a fractional laser that uses two different wavelengths to target damaged skin. So it can gently “scrub” surface skin and also address subsurface issues if needed. With HALO, we can use a single device to treat multiple types of sun damage at the same time.

For that matter, HALO resurfacing can successfully address a variety of common skin imperfections that may be similar to sun damage but develop due to other causes such as aging. These include fine lines and wrinkles, uneven tone or texture, patchiness due to melasma, acne scarring and enlarged pores.

HALO treatment is also different from other types of laser treatments in that it is:

  • Safe for all skin types and colors
  • Faster  
  • Virtually painless
  • Requires less downtime

HALO can be performed as a single, fairly aggressive treatment or in two sessions that offer a gentler touch with even less downtime.

Morpheus 8

Microneedling is a different type of skin resurfacing that can also benefit patients with sun-damaged skin. Morpheus 8 is unique in that it combines microneedling with radiofrequency energy to further stimulate the body’s natural production of collagen and elastin. Morpheus 8 treatment produces immediate resurfacing improvement and then further improvement over time as new healthy skin cells are produced which tightens skin significantly. Some of our patients like to add Plasma treatment to Morpheus 8, which helps speed healing and produce even better results long-term.

Prevention Is the Best Treatment

This is why we stress the importance of wearing sunscreen daily. Even on cloudy days, the sun’s harmful UV rays penetrate the atmosphere – and your skin. Older generations that worshipped tanning didn’t have the advantage of knowing the dangers of sun exposure and skin damage. They are now paying the price. Younger generations know the facts, but it can still be tempting to skip the sunscreen. Don’t.

Whether you’re older and want to correct significant multiple signs of sun damage or you’re younger and just starting to see problems develop, getting treatment is a smart move. Your skin can be healthier, smoother and more youthful looking, no matter your age.

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