How to repair summer skin damage

The sun not only leaves our skin dull and dehydrated, it also increases the pigment-making cells, leaving us with blotchy, uneven skin tone.

Of course, there really is no overnight remedy that will rid us of all the damage we have caused from a hot summer. There are, however, some things that may get things headed in the right direction.

Deep cleanse

Cleansing skin daily is very important, especially in the summer when sunscreen and makeup can pile up on our skin, along with sweat and oil. By removing all makeup nightly, skin can breathe, renew itself and better prepare for other products. It will also keep skin looking bright and free of blocked pores. SkinCeuticals Micro-Exfoliating Scrub helps hydrated silica cleanses pores and softens skin texture. Micro-Exfoliating Scrub mechanically exfoliates skin and polishes away dead skin cells.

Slather on the antioxidants

Antioxidants naturally protect our skin from free radicals, which ultimately can lead to fine lines and wrinkles. They also help skin rebuild itself and function more properly to prevent a dull appearance and further damage. Try applying a topical antioxidant such as SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic which delivers 8x skin’s natural environmental protection against damaging free radicals that age our skin and Revision Vitamin C Lotion 30% Formulated with THD Ascorbate, the most stable and lipid-soluble form of Vitamin C and includes a full line-up of antioxidants such as Vitamin E and Coenzyme Q10 to brighten dull skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and loss of firmness. Squalane hydrates for healthy, smooth skin.

Exfoliate and hydrate

Skin that has been over-exposed to the sun tends to have a dull appearance due to dead skin cells. By exfoliating, our skin will be able to shed dull cells and more rapidly create new, brighter skin cells. Try using a daily moisturizer that also exfoliates. Skin Medica AHA/BHA Cream is a light lotion that gently exfoliates, accelerating surface skin cell turnover while hydrating skin. It can be applied in the morning before sunscreen.

Treatments

Chemical peels can use glycolic acid, lactic acid, alpha-hydroxy acid, beta-hydroxy acids and resorcinol to remove layers of skin, revealing the more youthful skin underneath. Chemical peels can reduce or improve fine lines and wrinkles, acne, scars, uneven skin coloring and other skin imperfections. Different chemicals determine the depth of your peel and type of skin condition treated.

It is very difficult to avoid being in the sun at times. However, doing all we can to protect and repair our skin, whenever we can, will help us look our best through all the seasons of the year!