Treatment and tips for sun-damage

Sun damage to the skin occurs from being over-exposed to the sun at any one time, as well as the accumulative exposure of unprotected skin on a daily basis. As cosmetic dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting tells Bazaar: “Sun damage is not just about sunburn. It’s about the long-term damage to the skin,” and this can result in what experts’ call ‘premature ageing’ as well as potential harmful skin cancers, like melanoma.

“We know from extensive research that the sun damages all structures of the skin, and is capable of causing skin cancer even if you don’t get a burn,” clarifies skincare authority and author Paula Begoun. “The inflammation caused by sun damage happens every day, and it starts within the first minute you expose your skin to daylight without protection.” Unless you get a sunburn, you don’t actually see or feel any of this damage happening, but sun damage will show itself in various forms over your future.

Sun damage explained: burning, ageing and skin cancers

Aside from burning, sun damage can appear as “changes in skin texture, like fine lines and wrinkles in the upper face and around the eyes; an uneven skin tone, with redness and broken capillaries, and pigmentation; and sagging, due to damage of the skin’s elastic tissue,” explains Dr Bunting.

In particular, a change in skin pigment is one of the more obvious signs of sun damage. “When you get a tan, that is your skin’s overall damage response from the sun (we know it looks and feels better than a sunburn, but it is just as damaging),” Begoun explains. Over time this same damage response eventually causes “permanent abnormal spotted melanin production” – these are literally known as ‘brown spots’, or ‘sun spots’ due to their cause given that they’re only seen on areas of skin exposed to the sun. These pigmented marks can appear at any age, given that “it’s about how much time you’ve spent in the sun without sunscreen”, explains Begoun. Therefore, the more sun damage you acquire at a younger age, the sooner you'll see brown spots developing.

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Another factor associated with ageing – lines and wrinkles – can also be put down to sun damage, as Dr Bunting notes. The skin’s elastin and collagen are responsible for how firm and young it looks, but sun damage – as well as the natural ageing process – can cause these to deteriorate and break down, resulting in the skin wrinkling and sagging.

These issues affect all skin tones. “Don’t think that just because you have a naturally darker skin colour you are protected from what the sun does to your skin,” adds Begoun. “Unprotected sun exposure causes skin ageing and skin cancer, regardless of skin colour” – they just may take longer to show if you have darker skin.

Pamela Hanson for Harper's Bazaar

Skin cancer – the world’s most common cancer, affecting five million people every single year – is undoubtedly the most serious form of sun damage. Consultant dermatologist Dr Alia Ahmed says that “being able to catch and treat skin cancer early is just as important as sun protection”. She recommends incorporating regular body care checks into your skincare routine, so you “are more likely to notice changes earlier and can get the potentially life-saving treatment you need sooner”.

The doctor says: “People who self-examine their skin are twice as likely to detect melanoma, however only nine-to-18 per cent of the population perform regular thorough skin examinations,” says Dr Ahmed. Her advise is to familiarise yourself with your skin, looking out for changing moles and marks during your normal skincare routine – on the face and body. “Practising this regular self-examination can help the early detection of harmful skin cancers, like melanoma, and save lives,” she explains. Of course, if you notice any changes in moles or new suspicious looking legions, visit a dermatologist or your GP as soon as possible.

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Can you undo sun damage?

When it comes to the aesthetically ageing effects of the sun, Dr Bunting confirms it is possible to reverse some of the damage. “You can actually start to undo the damage that has already taken place just by freeing up skin's energy to do the repair,” she reveals.

Central to this is sunscreen; considering the formula, frequency and amount applied. “The thing with sunscreen is finding the right one for you,” explains Dr Bunting. If you don’t enjoy using it, you won’t make it a daily habit.

Firstly, it needs to provide broad-spectrum coverage, protecting you from UVA rays which contribute to premature ageing of the skin, and UVB rays which can cause skin cancer. (Think 'A' for ageing, 'B' for burning.) When exposed to the sun, SPF should be reapplied every two hours to remain effective – and you need to ensure you've applied a sufficient amount. “The most common mistake people make when it comes to sunscreen is not using enough,” Dr Bunting tells us. In our #SkinSchool video, above, she demonstrates the surprising amount that’s needed just for your face, explaining that on average people apply "something like a quarter to a half of that amount". Take note.

If, like many, you find reapplication a faff, consider a SPF spritz that can be applied over make-up (we rate the La Roche-Posay Anthelios Anti-Shine Sun Protection Invisible SPF50+ Face Mist); a sheer stick of SPF for touch-ups (such as the Clarins Invisible Sun Care Stick SPF50); or a powder product (like the translucent Supergoop! (Re)setting 100% Mineral Powder SPF30).

Best SPF with skincare benefits

Daily Sunscreen Dr Sam's Flawless

Best SPF for oily skin

Lean Screen Mineral Skinscreen Ultra Violette

Best SPF for top-ups

Anthelios Anti-Shine Sun Protection Invisible SPF50+ Face Mist La Roche-Posay

Best SPF for face and body

Expert Sun Protector Face & Body Lotion SPF 50+ Shiseido

Skincare to treat sun damage

When it comes to other products that can help speed up the skin’s repair process, Dr Bunting says to look for vitamins A, B and C in your skincare.

“A is for retinoids, the group that do the most when it comes to reversing the signs of premature ageing,” she explains. Retinol is usually found in treatment products applied at night. Find our guide to all-things retinol here.

“Vitamin B3, or niacinamide, is great for boosting the skin’s battery – so helping repair and stimulating improved barrier function. It also helps with hyperpigmentation.” This ingredient is usually found within serums, moisturiser and even sunscreen formulas, which you can find in our niacinamide guide, here.

“Vitamin C is an antioxidant which helps reverse the signs of ageing due to neutralising free radicals, and again it also helps with hyperpigmentation,” she adds. Vitamin C is normally found in serums and treatment products worn in the daytime, the best of which are listed here.

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 10 Vitamin A: Retinol

Now 22% Off

Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster Vitamin B3: Niacinamide

Now 15% Off

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Antioxidant Vitamin C Serum Vitamin C

At-home and professional treatments for sun damage

Beyond topical products, treatments can help ameliorate the ageing effects of sun damage.

For red and brown pigment issues, Dr Sophie Shotter, founder and medical director of Illuminate Skin Clinics, recommends chemical peels and laser treatments: “We work with some superficial, some mid-range, and some aggressive skin-resurfacing peels that work at a very deep level.” At home, try regular use of an AHA or BHA exfoliant, which help to restore radiance, smoothness and even tone. “Lasers are another alternative and there are some brilliant technologies on the market,” she adds – but these are only ever to be performed in a professional capacity.

Renowned skincare expert Nilam Holmes, who owns the Dermaspa clinic in Milton Keynes, favours IPL treatment Lumecca for reducing brown pigmentation spots. "I have used many different IPL devices over the last 25 years with varying results, but I find I can reduce hyperpigmentation by 90 per cent within two sessions using this," she reveals. However, it's only suitable for light-to-medium skin types. "For darker skin types I like to use treatments such as microneedling and skin peels," Holmes adds.

Déesse PRO LED Phototherapy Mask

One of the most powerful LED masks available for home use, the Déesse Pro boasts a huge 770 lights across four wavelengths (red, blue, infrared and – impressively – green). The solid structure is moulded to sit comfortably on the face, and the six treatment modes work to tackle everything from acne to loss of collagen.

Theraface Mask

Therabody’s first foray into LED really moves the technology forward: this solid face mask features 648 lights that offer multiple wavelengths – red, red and infrared, and blue – in each diode, meaning you’re getting full face coverage whichever you choose (Most devices only feature sections of either colour within their matrix.)

What’s more, powerful vibrating pads around the eyes, brows and head bring the brand’s signature tension-melting massage therapy to each nine-minute treatment. With removable rubber eye guards and a flexible front, this one may look hefty, but feels supremely comfortable to wear.

Foreo FAQ™ 202 Face Mask

Foreo’s new LED mask features a hefty 600 lights and offers seven different wavelengths, adding healing green, regenerating purple and inflammation-calming cyan to the traditional hues.

It’s made from flexible silicone with a larger-than-usual eye window, which means you can easily walk around while wearing it. The smartphone app allows you to choose pre-set treatments to tackle any skin concern.

Dermalux Flex MD LED Light Therapy Device

The largest LED device on the market for at-home use, the clinic-grade Dermalux Flex comprises 360 lights and offers a whole range of treatment protocols, from acne-zapping blue light to firming near-infrared. Use it as a canopy over your face, or position it over sore muscles from head to toe.

Light therapy, or LED treatments, can also benefit the effects of sun damage. Devices originally developed for astronauts to help with tissue healing and repair are now extolled for all kinds of cosmetic skin rejuvenation, including treating dark spots and uneven skin tone. At-home masks will not be as strong as the LED used in a clinic setting, but they do have similar benefits.

In addition, professional injectable treatments are an option for improving the skin’s texture and sagging, says Dr Bunting. Firstly, wrinkle-relaxing injections can be used to treat lines in the dynamic parts of the face, delivering “a fresher, less stressed look to the skin”. Then dermal fillers can really help where you’ve got laxity or sagging, she explains, “typically in the cheek area where changes in the skin’s tautness mean people can develop jowls and nasolabial creases.” By boosting this area, the skin and facial structure can be lifted.

For over-exposed, yet delicate, areas such as the hands, laser authority and skincare expert Debbie Thomas has developed a new Bio Revitalising Nano Mesotherapy treatment at her D.Thomas Clinic. Using a micro-injection technique a cocktail of vitamins, minerals and amino acids works as a bio-stimulator to trigger skin regeneration. Think renewed radiance and plumpness, at least for the short term.

As with all professional treatments, only visit qualified, reputable and experienced practitioners. For injectable treatments, look to regulatory bodies BAAPS and BAPRAS for guidance, or the supplier of Botox and certain filler, Allergan, which lists those who are medically trained to administer these injections.

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