Sun damage refers to the harm caused to the skin by prolonged exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which consists of UVA and UVB rays. UV rays penetrate the skin and can cause cellular damage, leading to premature aging, wrinkles, sunburns, and an increased risk of skin cancer. UVA rays contribute to deep skin aging by breaking down collagen and elastin fibers, while UVB rays cause sunburn and are primarily responsible for skin cancer development.

Over time, repeated sun exposure without proper protection, such as sunscreen, can accelerate the skin’s aging process and presents in a number of ways including wrinkles, pigmentation changes, decreased elasticity, broken capillaries and uneven skin texture. Protecting the skin with broad-spectrum sunscreen, wearing protective clothing, and seeking shade are essential measures to prevent sun damage and maintain healthy skin.

Treating sun damaged skin is one of the most common problems I treat and over the years I have developed tailored protocols that deliver excellent results. There are a number of treatment options to help improve sundamaged skin.

Treatments can help improve skin quality and skin smoothness, collagen production, cellular turnover, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and lighten pigmentation.

Topical treatments including skin peels and a tailored skincare routine are important when it comes to improving and maintaining sun damaged skin.

When treating severely sun damaged skin, there are a variety of laser treatments Dr Welsh offers to help repair, refresh and brighten damaged skin. The laser options include:

- Vascular Laser

- Intense pulsed light (IPL)

- CO2 Fractional Laser resurfacing

- Non-Ablative Fractional Laser (NAFL) resurfacing

- Laser Assisted Photo Dynamic Therapy

A course of laser treatments is often required to achieve optimal results.

It is important to understand that sundamage can recur over time requires ongoing maintenance for best results.