75% of our lifetime UV exposure is accumulated in our first two decades of life. During these early days we are often blissfully unaware of the invisible, damaging and cumulative effects of the sun on our skin. And yet long after our days on the beach the sins of our early days show up as premature skin aging and possibly skin cancer. Thickened, wrinkled and discoloured skin is the result of cumulative photo-damage – not of chronological age. In fact, most of the skin changes we attribute to aging are in fact preventable and reversible. There is no question that there is no greater adversary to ageless skin than overexposure to sun.
Skin Aging Cancers
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Prevention is key – always begin with prevention and remember that even if you “tan well”, that there is no such thing as a “healthy” tan. Protecting and nourishing your skin are the most important steps you can take to prevent premature aging of the skin and the development of skin cancer.
Simple Steps To Prevent Premature Skin Aging and Skin Cancers Include:
- Minimize your exposure to the sun between 10am-3pm.
- Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, rain or shine
- Add supportive topical antioxidants to your sunscreen for added protection
- Wear a broad-rimmed hat
- Protect your lips (full-spectrum lip balm)
- Protect your eyes (sunglasses with full-spectrum protective lenses)
- Protect your body with sun-protective clothing and sunscreen
If you have over exposed your skin to the sun in the past, all is not lost. You can reverse a good amount of the photo-damage done, including getting clearance of early pre-cancerous skin changes. The most critical thing is to stop adding further insult to an already injured skin envelope – nourish and protect your skin daily and get smart about your UV exposure, rain or shine. As well, targeted light and laser based treatments can be combined with daily maintenance skin care regimens to exact substantial improvements in skin health and appearance.
BBL (Broad Band light) and PDT (photodynamic therapy) are amongst the most effective light based medspa treatments offered at The Van Vliet Clinic for correction of photo-damaged skin. BBL targets melanin (pigment) and hemoglobin (red lesions) for excellent clearance of aging spots, freckling and small vessels. Colour correction is the primary goal of BBL, but with repeated sessions, often significant improvements in skin surface and texture can also be realized. There is minimal downtime to BBL therapy and it is very easy to tolerate.
Even the men in Dr. vanVliet’s practice sign up for PDT treatment. PDT involves combining topical levulan, a natural occurring photosensitizing compound, with BBL therapy to achieve 60-70% clearance of early pre-cancerous skin lesions over 1-3 treatment sessions. The beneficial side effects of PDT treatment is that it also has an excellent cosmetic and rejuvenation effect on the skin. PDT therapy has 4-7 days of social downtime associated with it but its beneficial effects on your skin health and appearance will be dramatic.
To find out more about which rejuvenation procedure would best suit your needs feel free to book a complimentary assessment with our medical esthetician. This will give us an opportunity to evaluate your skin and to address your specific concerns so we can optimize and tailor your treatment plan.