Sun damaged skin treatment

Sunlight is good for the skin. It stimulates production of essential vitamins such as Vitamin D which is vital for bone health and other functions of the body.

But you can have too much of a good thing.

Many people become sun worshippers to the extent that they place their skin at risk of serious, long term damage such as malignant melanoma.

On a lesser scale, excessive sun exposure ages the skin: it causes it to have a ‘leathery’appearance with heavy lines and wrinkles which is unattractive to the person concerned.

One way of reversing these effects is dermaroller. This non-surgical form of treatment is based upon stimulating the skin to repair itself by encouraging the growth of collagen. This means skin which is firm, fresh and young looking.

How does skin damage occur?

Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun has an ageing effect on the skin. It reduces skin elasticity which means the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Another effect is age spots which are a pigmentation problem caused by abnormal concentrations of melanin (this determines skin colour) in an area of the skin.

Treating sun damaged skin with dermaroller

If you have purchased a dermaroller to use at home then find out more about how this treatment works by visiting our home based dermaroller section.

But if you prefer to be treated at a clinic then read on…

You will be given a topical gel (local anaesthetic) which helps to numb the skin. The dermaroller procedure is painless but some people find that their skin has a sunburnt appearance.

Most people report a prickling or tingling sensation.

The device itself is a small, hand held roller which contains 192 micro-needles. There are different needle lengths which vary according to the nature of the treatment.

For example, deep seated stretch marks are treated with longer needles, e.g. 2.0 mm in length whereas small acne scars may only require 0.5 mm or 1.0 mm in length.

Your skin type, colour, nature of your skin problem and your own preference will determine the length of micro-needle used.

The dermaroller is rolled up and down your skin in a series of quick strokes followed by the rubbing in of a vitamin enriched gel, lotion or cream. This is then repeated.

The session takes 1 hour in total. This is comprised of 30 minutes to allow the anaesthetic to work then 30 minutes for the actual treatment.

As the roller moves over the skin it penetrates the pores on the top layer of skin. This also has the effect of stimulating blood flow to that area as well as stimulating the growth of collagen. This rejuvenates the skin as well as repairing the signs of sun damage.

You will be advised to use moisturisers on your skin following treatment to prevent it from drying out. This is a common effect which occurs as the skin starts to regenerate over the next few weeks.

Results of treating sun damaged skin with dermaroller

It can take several weeks before you notice the improvements to your skin but once they occur then they tend to last for several months afterwards.

You will need to have additional treatments if you wish to maintain these results. Plus it is important to continue to care for your skin after this treatment to prevent it from becoming too dry.