The sun and our skin

Pigmentation takes many forms and has several names; age spots, liver spots, senile lentigines or solar lentigines.

They are all common problems which worsen as we age.

Unfortunately, many of us may be genetically predisposed to skin age spots as we get older.

The most obvious causes of pigmentation are skin damage from excessive exposure to the sun and is most prevalent on the, face, neck, chest, hands, arms, back and in some, the lower legs.

Cutaneous signs of ageing, such as age spots, become visible from as early as our 20s, especially with excessive sun or environmental exposure.

We all love the sun and enjoying its warmth, however between the ages of 35 to 49 years there is a sharp increase in prevalence of skin changes clearly ascribable to photo-aging, such as scattered pigmented spots or discolouration of skin.

Awareness of the damaging effect of UV radiation on the facial appearance, sun avoidance and protection before the age of 20 will help reduce the risks for developing age spots later in life.

In this day and age we are all much more aware about the side effects of too much sun exposure, yet skin issues due to the sun are still on the increase.

Skin facial ageing as we all know include:

•  Fine and coarse wrinkle formation,
•  Pigmentation and skin colour changes – light or dark patches,
•  Dry texture with loss of hydration,
•  Loss of elasticity and skin tone,
•  Sagging and volume loss especially in the face and neck

Photo-ageing caused by ultraviolet light, not only by the sun but our computers, cellular phones, overhead lighting, tend to act more on the surface of the skin.

This often produces sun freckles or age spots and dilated blood vessels that lead to an overall uneven skin tone and surface.

Safe and extremely effective treatment and as well as preventative solutions are available. Regardless of the amount or depth of damage within the skin, improvement can be achieved.

It is important that your skin is properly assessed to determine the best course of treatment/prevention.

•  As most of us know, effective sun block is vital.

This prevents further damage and in the case of certain medical sunscreens, those that have been properly tested and approved, can even assist in the repair process.

Proper sun protection, including a medical sunscreen, hats, sun glasses and so on, is a must especially if you are embarking on any type of skin treatment.

This process is easy to start even in your young babies and children to prevent future skin problems.

•  Topical Medical products, if the correct types are chosen, are an excellent adjunct to treatments, in terms of assisting Pigmentation reduction but also importantly to prevent further damage.

Prevention is always vital.

•  Medical laser and peeling treatments have been proven scientifically and clinically to provide both prevention and significant reduction in the damage caused by UV light as well as the visible signs of this damage such as pigmentation, wrinkles, dehydrated skin and so on.

Sometimes a combination of treatments may be required but depends on the assessment of each individual patient.

The less damage you have as you age, the better your skin will be in older age.

However, regardless of age, if the correct treatment programme is initiated and maintained, excellent results can be obtained.

For further information or assessment, contact Sinclair Aesthetics on 011 453-3450/2 or visit www.sinclairaesthetics.co.za, for more information.