With summer just around the corner, many of us are reminding ourselves how to take better care of our skin. We go out searching for the best sunscreen for our skin type, and we promise to do a good job of applying it often. This is a good start. Wearing sunscreen is one of the most practical ways to prevent sun damage. However, what can you do if you’re already seeing the signs of sun damage on your complexion? We’ll discuss that here.
What Causes Complexion Woes?
We think of our complexion as our overall skin tone. This is part of it. Our genes dictate how light or dark our skin is. Other factors influence its more nuanced appearance. It doesn’t have to be extraordinarily difficult to maintain an even complexion. We just have to care for the skin in ways that prevent an influx of melanin in certain areas. The challenge is that there is more than one factor involved in this influx. Some common factors that can contribute to complexion woes include:
- Sun exposure. Whenever we go outdoors, we are exposed to ultraviolet light. UVA and UVB rays travel through clouds and car windows. They get absorbed in the deeper layers of the skin where melanin is produced and stimulate the melanocyte cells to be more active. This is why we get suntanned and it’s also why we get sun spots and other pigment issues.
- Air pollution. The sun is not the only environmental factor that affects the skin. What is in the air also does. Things like carbon dioxide and debris from chemicals and cleansers are all in the air, which means they can all land on bare skin. Microparticles can get absorbed into pores, leading to inflammatory responses involving the production of melanin.
- Hormones. Estrogen and progesterone are two female hormones that contribute to the production of melanin. This makes women vulnerable to skin changes like melasma and hyperpigmentation during certain phases of life in which hormones fluctuate more profoundly.
- Inflammation. Skin inflammation of any kind, be it a sunburn or a rash, signals to the body that a response is needed. The response is often an increase in the production of melanin.
Managing Your Skin’s Complexion
Wearing sunscreen is a great way to protect your skin from pigmentation problems. However, a reputable medical spa like our Austin facility will offer services that can correct complexion concerns that have already occurred. Examples of complexion correcting treatments include:
- Chemical peels
- Microneedling
- Dermabrasion
- IPL Photofacial
- HALO hybrid fractional laser
- BBL broadband light treatments
Your skin can look radiant at every age. To schedule an appointment at our medical spa, call (512) 450-1077.
