31 Aug 2010
More about Treatments for Sun Damage
There is no doubt our summer is short and enjoying the great outdoors is a must for most of us. As the fall season quickly approaches and the colour of our skin begins to fade we may notice some evidence of sun damage.
Sun damaged skin is generally rougher in texture and is often discoloured and wrinkled. Chronic sun exposure can lead to a thickening of the upper layers of the dermis, which leaves the skin looking leathery. Some individuals also develop broken blood vessels on the cheeks and nose from sun exposure.
At the Facial Surgery & Cosmetic Centre of Ottawa we recommend starting off with a Visia Complexion Analysis to determine the amount of UV damage present before we begin treatments. This sets a baseline and aids in determining what treatment approach is best. We offer a different number of treatment options for sun damaged skin depending on the client’s individual needs.
Light Chemical Peels such as Glycolic Acid, or PCA Peels which have a combination of different types of acids will aid in evening out the complexion although not effective for reducing blood vessels. These peels will improve texture and treat fine lines. We also perform DermaCeutic peels for melasma and stubborn pigmentation of the face and neck.
(All pictures have the “before” image on the left and the “after” image on the right.)
GentleWaves LED System: This is a series of 8 to 10 light based treatments which promotes production of collagen and helps to reduce the appearance of redness and fine wrinkles.
SkinTX Hyperpigmentation Program: This is an at home fitness program for your skin that helps to reduce hyperpigmentation, solar spots and wrinkles. It is an excellent alternative to in house exfoliative therapies, comes in a kit individualized for your skin and works over the course of 4½ months.
Photorejuvenation & Skin Tightening: Come fall, our laser technicians are very busy reducing the damage caused from the summer sun. Photorejuvenation is very effective for reducing brown pigmentation and blood vessels, as well as stimulating collagen and reducing fine wrinkles. The complexion is greatly improved with these modern light devices. These lasers can also improve laxity and thus improving facial contours.
The complexion is greatly improved with these modern light devices. These lasers can also improve laxity and thus improving facial contours.
Believe it or not Botox® is 20 years old! Although most people associate Botox with reducing wrinkles and lines it has over 20 different medical and cosmetic uses. For example, the Facial Surgery and Cosmetic Centre of Ottawa often use Botox to treat excessive sweating (also known as “hyperhidrosis”). While there are many different treatments available for this condition using Botox is very effective in many cases as well as being a fairly simple procedure. This is just 1 of over 20 different applications for Botox! (4)
