Sun damage can add years onto your skin, and it can be more than just brown spots. Sun damage increases your chances of developing freckles, fine lines and wrinkles, areas of discoloration, and other signs of aging. Of course, it also risks the health of your skin. If your sun damage makes you feel self-conscious or look older than you feel, consider treatments with laser resurfacing in NYC at Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery.
Our practice performs both surgical and minimally invasive non-surgical cosmetic procedures, with world-class training, experience, and knowledge of the unique intricacies of aesthetic treatments. Our team of cosmetic surgeons and aesthetic specialists design your care for you, with an emphasis on delivering the highest quality, most natural results possible. We strive to empower beauty, however you define it.
Below, we discuss details on sun damage along with our laser professional resurfacing treatments.
HOW SUN DAMAGE FORMS
Sun damage is hyperpigmentation (dark spots), wrinkles and thickening of the texture of your skin caused by excess sun exposure. When you’re in the sun without sunscreen or another form of protection, your skin will make extra pigment called melanin as it works to protect your skin. This can cause your skin to burn, tan, or freckle, and the excess pigment can stick around, resulting in sun damage spots on your skin.
Certain conditions can greatly affect the appearance of sunspots/ age spots on your skin, including:
- Your skin tone; lighter skin tones called Fitzpatrick types I, II, and III are more susceptible to burns and long-term sun damage, though any skin color can get sun damage
- Inadequate sun protection
- Tanning beds and/or excess sun exposure
- Living in a sunny climate
- Having an outdoor job
- Experiencing multiple sunburns
- Family history of sun damage
- Hormonal changes causing melasma
What’s often surprising and frustrating is that sunspots may not appear right after prolonged sun exposure, or might seem as if they appear out of nowhere. It can form below the surface layer and eventually appear.
Areas with the most sun exposure typically develop sun damage:
- Face
- Neck
- Chest
- Forearms
- Hands
- Tops of shoulders
We offer VISIA skin analysis at our clinic to get a comprehensive look at the prevalence and extent of sun damage. This in-depth skin analysis gives us data to make the best recommendations for sun damage treatments.
So is it possible to reverse sun damage? With our professional laser resurfacing treatments, yes!
SUN DAMAGE TREATMENTS
Since sun damage is made up of damaged skin cells, it’s important to increase skin cell turnover to renew your skin and reduce the appearance of sunspots and other signs of aging. The power of laser resurfacing is perfect for inducing new skin cell growth and repairing deeper layers beneath the surface of your skin.
We have 4 fantastic treatment options for laser resurfacing in NYC at Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery:
- BBL HERO / Forever Young BBL
- Halo Laser
- CO2 Fractionated Laser
- TRL Ablative Laser (our most aggressive treatment)
Below, we cover these treatments in order, from lightest to deepest resurfacing.
BBL HERO®
BBL HERO is the most powerful IPL device available. In fact, it isn’t considered a laser at all, as it uses a different kind of technology to resurface your skin: IPL.
IPL refers to Intense Pulsed Light, and BroadBand Light (BBL)™ is an advanced form of IPL. Stanford University published a study where they found that BBL actually changes the gene expression of skin cells at a molecular level to that of younger skin, making candidates’ skin appear significantly more youthful.
All of this is to say, BBL HERO is an amazing advancement in skin resurfacing technology with the power to improve the appearance of sun damage and revamp your skin with virtually no recovery period.
Treatable Conditions:
- Hyperpigmentation
- Sun damage
- Brown & red spots
- Uneven skin tone
- Broken capillaries
- Rosacea
- Acne
We can treat any area, including the arms and legs, but the most common treatment areas are:
- Face
- Hands
- Chest
HOW IT WORKS
BBL HERO has multiple settings that we use to heat layers of skin selectively, kickstarting your body’s natural healing process and new collagen production. This helps your skin cells renew to improve hyperpigmentation, sun damage, and other skin concerns.
Its adjustable wavelengths allow us to fully customize the procedure to your skin tone, type, and desired results. It also features precision cooling to keep your skin safe and cool throughout the fast and easy treatment process!
HALO™ LASER
Halo is another one of our treatment options for laser resurfacing in NYC at our Manhattan practice. It is the world’s first and only hybrid fractional laser, meaning it uses both ablative and non-ablative wavelengths for maximum results with a minimal recovery period.
Treatable Conditions:
- Discoloration & pigmentation
- Brown & red spots
- Sun damage
- Visible signs of aging
- Uneven skin tone
- Enlarged pores
- Poor texture
- Fine Lines
- Acne & other scarring
- Fine to deep wrinkles
We can treat any area, including the arms and legs, but the most common treatment areas are:
- Face
- Chest
- Neck
- Hands
- Back
HOW IT WORKS
Halo delivers deep dermal rejuvenation by focusing on the collagen layer of the skin to stimulate rejuvenation through laser energy. Your provider will use a topical anesthetic on your skin prior to treatment to keep you comfortable as they use the Halo laser handpiece over your treatment area(s).
DEKA DOT™ FRACTIONATED CO2 LASER
If you’re looking for very dramatic, deep laser resurfacing in NYC, CO2 laser at Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery may be the ultimate solution for you. We have multiple types of procedures with our CO2 laser, so you can have a customized treatment that works best for your skin and goals.
Fractionated lasers work by using thousands of tiny laser treatment spots with normal skin in between. The normal skin bridges helps make healing faster, yet only reduces the efficiency over a fully ablative, full field, laser treatment. Treatments can be further fine tuned by altering the distance and heating properties of the treatment laser dots.
Treatable Conditions:
- Fine to deep facial and neck wrinkles
- Facial scars, acne scars
- Enlarged pores
- Overall facial skin tone
- Age/sun spots
- Discoloration
- Blotchiness
Treatment areas:
- Face
- Neck
- Eyelids
- Hands
- Décolleté
- Fine to deep facial and neck wrinkles
- Facial scars, acne scars
- Enlarged pores
- Overall facial skin tone
- Age/sun spots
- Discoloration
- Blotchiness
Treatment areas:
- Face
- Neck
- Eyelids
SKINCARE PRODUCTS TO HELP YOU REVERSE SUN DAMAGE
Along with laser resurfacing, we recommend a good skincare regimen to help reverse years of sun damage. Some of our favorite brands include:
We carry many products at our office and can help you create a personalized skincare regimen. Learn more about what types of products we recommend for sun damage below.
EXFOLIATING PRODUCTS
With sun spots/age spots, it’s important to encourage new skin cell turnover to work on getting rid of the hyperpigmentation. Exfoliating products are essential for this process! Whether you prefer chemical exfoliation or physical, find high-quality exfoliating products that work well for your skin.
Note: It’s important to not over-exfoliate, as this can leave your skin overly sensitive! A limit 2 or 3 times per week is optimal.
ANTIOXIDANTS
Antioxidants are an amazing ingredient because they can help protect your body—and your skin—from free radical damage. Antioxidant-rich products can support your skin’s health and better protect it from harsh environmental pollutants.
SPF FOR PREVENTION
This is a given, but we’ll say it anyway: You have to wear sunscreen if you care about your skin! UV rays are the #1 cause of skin damage and they can lead to real health dangers like skin cancer. Make sunscreen an essential part of your skincare routine.
Our tip? Find a great sunscreen formula you love. Sunscreens are no longer limited to that strongly scented, thick white formula that’s difficult to rub in. There have been large advancements in sunscreen formulas to meet increased demand. You can choose one with extra hydration, a tint for some coverage, or even a formula for oily or acne-prone skin. Find an SPF you love and stick with it!
WHY IT’S IDEAL TO GET LASER RESURFACING IN THE FALL OR WINTER
When you get a laser resurfacing treatment, it’s very important to protect your skin as it heals. You know what doesn’t help? Excess sun exposure.
In the spring and summer, we all get a lot more sun as we meet friends for patio happy hours, go on walks, and other warm-weather activities. It becomes a part of our routine. After a laser treatment, it’s hard to avoid excess sun exposure for multiple days without changing your routine significantly.
Our patients find they prefer to have laser resurfacing done in the fall and winter, when the sun is less powerful. North America (and the Earth’s axis) is tilted away from the sun during the fall and winter months, which is why it gets cooler too! It’s also easier to wear clothes to cover sensitive skin, stay indoors, and have a more low-key routine during this time of year as your skin heals.
COME TO OUR PARK AVENUE OFFICE FOR THE BEST LASER RESURFACING IN NEW YORK CITY AT PEARLMAN AESTHETIC SURGERY!
Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery is a luxury cosmetic surgery and non-surgical aesthetics practice located in Manhattan. With years of experience serving New York City with premier treatments and unmatched service, we love providing individualized care for the best results possible.
