We all love basking in the sun, but prolonged exposure without proper protection can leave your skin feeling less than radiant. Sun damage is a common skin concern – so don’t fret! With the proper knowledge and skincare regimen, you can repair visible signs of sun damage at home.
Signs of Sun Damage
Signs of sun damage include dark spots, freckles, patches of discoloration, dullness, dryness, wrinkles, and even deeper cellular damage that can lead to pre-cancers. Areas of the skin primarily affected are those regularly exposed to the sun including your face, the V-area of your neck and chest, the back and sides of your neck, and the back of your hands. Your neck and hands receive excessive UV exposure, therefore experiencing accelerated photo-aging.
Assessing Sun Damage
The sun damage you can visibly see on your skin is only the first layer of damage – and deeper damage can appear years after unprotected exposure, unfortunately. This chronic, deeper sun damage leads to DNA mutations in our skin cells and can cause skin cancer. It’s therefore critical to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily. Prevention is always easier than reversal.
Facial Sunscreen Recommendations
Sunscreen is a must, but choosing between a physical or chemical skin protectant is your choice. Here’s a breakdown of how the two options differ.
Physical Sunscreen: Physical sunscreens protect the skin by sitting on the surface and reflecting UV rays. They block UVA and UVB rays from penetrating the skin and are formulated with zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. Some of our favorites include:
Chemical Sunscreen: Chemical sunscreens work like a sponge, absorbing UV rays, and reducing the damage caused. Chemical sunscreens degrade in sunlight and require more frequent reapplication. They are often formulated with the following ingredients: oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, or octinoxate. Our favorites include:
Tula Protect + Glow Daily Sunscreen Gel Broad Spectrum SPF 30
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Facial Moisturizer SPF
Additionally, it’s important to have your skin assessed by a board-certified dermatologist regularly to monitor for changes in moles and sunspots.
Ways to Repair Sun Damage
To repair sun damage we recommend adhering to the following steps:
Heal & Soothe: The first step in repairing sun-damaged skin is to provide it with ultra-soothing and hydrating ingredients. We recommend opting for a gentle cleanser to avoid further irritation, followed by a barrier-strengthening moisturizer. Revea’s Skin Restoring Moisturizer is formulated with Gamma-Oryzanol, an antioxidant that protects your skin from oxidative damage while soothing the skin to minimize redness and irritation. Plus, you can choose your preferred formula from 4 different textures: an aqueous gel with a mattifying effect, a gel cream, a unique water-in-oil, and a rich cream.
In-Office Dermatology Treatments: In addition to topicals, lasers, and microdermabrasion can yield powerful results for those suffering from sun damage. A board-certified dermatologist can further assess your skin’s sun damage and provide personalized treatments including photodynamic therapy (PDT), microdermabrasion, and chemical peels.
Harness the Power of Antioxidants: Sun damage leads to the formation of free radicals in the skin, which accelerates aging and damages collagen production. To combat this, incorporate antioxidant-rich topicals into your skincare routine.
Here are a few science-backed ingredients we formulate your custom Revea AM & PM Serums with that help repair UV damage and promote evenness of tone:
Diglucosyl Gallic Acid: When metabolized by your skin's microbiome this ingredient helps brighten the skin and restore a more even complexion. In addition to these benefits, it also decreases the overall visibility of your pores.
Hexylresorcinol: This ingredient helps to reduce areas of hyperpigmentation, enhancing the overall brightness and radiance of your skin.
Marrubium Extract: This ingredient aids in neutralizing oxidant species and pollution that inflict damage on the skin's proteins and lipid structures resulting in a decrease of hyperpigmentation and inflammation of your skin.
Rainbow Algae Extract: As an active, rainbow algae extract helps accelerate melanin removal in areas where pigmentation is over-accumulating. As a result, this evens out your overall skin tone, increases skin brightness, and accelerates melanosome degradation.
Vitamin C: This ingredient helps mitigate oxidative damage from UV exposure improving your skin’s overall radiance and revealing a more even skin tone.
Take our advanced skin assessment today to measure your individual skin needs and see what's going on beneath the surface tissue!
The Revea skin concierge team is also available around the clock to answer any questions or concerns.
We are here to support you on your skincare journey!
