DermMedica - Kelowna Vein and Skin Solutions
Kelowna Skin Care
Phone: 250-868-3070
Toll Free: 866-861-3070
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Dr. Crippen
    • Meet our Staff
    • Before & After Gallery
    • Testimonials
    • Blog
  • Skin Conditions
    • Acne Treatments
    • Birthmarks
    • Hyperhidrosis – Excessive Sweating
    • Melasma Treatment
    • Rosacea Treatment
    • Skin Cancer: Diagnosis and Treatment
    • Sun Damage Treatments
    • Varicose & Spider Vein Treatments
  • Cosmetic Skin Problems
    • Acne Scar Treatments
    • Brown Spots & Age Spots Removal
    • Ear Lobe Repair
    • Facial Volume Loss
    • Fat Deposits and Fat Reduction
    • Moles/Skin Tag Removal & Treatment
    • Pearly Penile Papule (PPP) Treatment
    • Saggy Skin Treatment
    • Scalp Micro Pigmentation Removal
    • Thin Lips
    • Wrinkle Treatments
  • Skin & Laser Treatments
    • Belkyra® For Double Chin
    • Botox® Cosmetic
    • Chemical Peel Treatments
    • CoolSculpting Fat Removal
    • DermaFill | Facial Anti-Aging
    • Facelift – Non-Surgical
    • Fractional CO2 Laser
    • IPL Laser
    • Juvederm Fillers
    • Laser Hair Removal
    • Laser Tattoo Removal
    • miraDry ® | Sweat-Free
    • Scar Treatments
    • Sclerotherapy for Veins
    • V-Beam Laser Treatment
  • Skin Care
    • SkinMedica Skin Care
    • Colorescience Mineral Makeup
    • Elta MD | Sunscreen Products
    • Latisse for Eyelashes
  • Contact Us
Want an Instant Answer? Give us a call 250-868-3070 866-861-3070 Contact Us Testimonials

Mon-Fri: 9am - 5pm
Sat: by appointment only

  • Google Reviews
  • RateMDs
Home » Skin Conditions: Treatment Options » Sun Damage

Sun Damage

Sun Damage and Your Skin – Results of UV Exposure

  • Actinic Keratosis – a precancerous growth on the skin (most common)
  • Basal Cell Carcinoma – a skin growth that is the result of sun exposure but one that will not spread beyond the skin
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma – a sun related skin cancer that can sometimes spread to other organs
  • Malignant Melanoma – a very deadly skin cancer that must be removed immediately
  • Lentigo Maligna – a pre-malignant lesion that should also be removed as it may become a melanoma one day

Before & After treatment for long history of sun exposure and clear sun damage.

sun damage before dermmedicasun damage after dermmedica


What Are the Symptoms of Sun Damage?

  • Rough and dry skin lesions
  • Patches or growths on the skin
  • Localized growths
  • Appearance on the face, scalp, back of the hands, chest, or other common sun-exposed areas
  • Gray, pink, red, or flesh-colored discoloration
  • Begins as flat and scaly evolving into a wart-like or rough surface

What Are the Causes of Sun Damage?

Actinic Keratosis is specifically caused by repeated sun exposure. Ultraviolet light damages the elastin (elastic) fibers in the skin leading to increased signs of aging and vulnerability to the effects of sun damaged skin. Common risk factors contributing to the expression of sun damage are:

  • Having fair skin, blue or green eyes, or blond or red hair
  • Long-term, daily sun exposure (for example, if you work outdoors)
  • Multiple, severe sunburns early in life
  • Older age

As a result, it is imperative to keep a strict regimen in terms of sun exposure throughout your life.  Dr. Crippen recommends daily application of a UV-A and UV-B blocking sunscreen to help prevent the most common types of skin cancer.

What Are the Treatments?

Botox Cosmetic
Chemical Peels
Erbium Laser
Fractional CO2 Laser
IPL
Photodynamic Therapy


Quick Answers About Sun Damage

  • Can Sun Damage Spots Be Removed Permanently?

    Many types of sun damage spots can be removed permanently. Whether or not these spots can be easily removed depends on the type of spot, and how much time it has been given to develop. It is almost always preferable to treat sun damage as soon as it’s visible. Timely treatment will minimize the threat of permanent spots.

  • How Long, or How Many Treatments Does It Take to Remove Spots of Sun Damage?

    Depending on the characteristics of the spot and the type of treatments that is used, most removals will take anywhere from one to a half-dozen sessions. While non-invasive, our laser treatments are powerful instruments that can only treat small surface area of skin at a time. Larger and darker spots of sun damage will require more treatments.

  • Which of the Listed Treatments Is the Best Option for Sun Damage?

    Each of the treatments listed above may be considered for different cases of sun damage. Some are more intense than your treatment may require, while others are too gentle to remove the spot you want to target. Our doctor will choose the best treatment for your case during your consultation.

  • What Is the Best Treatment for Sun Damaged Skin?

    The best treatment for UV photodamaged skin is Levulan photodynamic therapy. It not only reduces your risk for skin cancer, but provides excellent cosmetic improvements in the treated area.

  • What Is the Best Treatment for Brown Sun Spots?

    A few treatments might be good options, including IPL light based therapy or Q-Switched laser therapy. It all depends on the area treated and the appearance of the lesions. Dr. Crippen can give you an idea of the best treatment during your consultation.

  • Is Sun Damage Permanent?

    That is a good question. Yes and no. Sun damage permanently denatures collagen and elastin over time but we can improve both of those with laser treatments.

  • What Is the Most Efficient Way to Improve My Sun Damaged Skin?

    There are many ways to describe “sun damaged skin” but there are usually always some effective options for your particular situation. Some patients have lines & wrinkles, some patients have brown spots and some patients have red spots.

    There are a few options including Levulan PDT and Fractional CO2 laser therapy but it really depends on the particular patients case.

  • How Can I Reverse the Effects of 5 Years of Tanning?

    If your skin looks fairly normal the only treatment recommendation is avoiding tanning and excessive sun exposure and possibly a few Levulan PDT treatments to reduce the number of abnormal skin cells.

  • Is It Possible for Someone at Age 24 to Repair All of the Sun Damage?

    At this time, it is not possible to removal ALL sun damage as there is no way to quantify how much damage there is before and after treatment. The key going forward is to monitor your skin closely for changes and use sun protection measures daily.

  • What is the Most Effective, Cost Effective, and Safest Way to Remove Sunspots?

    The most common way to remove sun spots (lentigos) on the skin is by using lasers that treat melanin. Some of those treatments include IPL, Alexandrite and q-switched or picosecond lasers.

  • How to Treat Sun Damaged Skin and Still Enjoy the Sun?

    You can have sun damaged skin and have it treated but you can’t go out in the sun right after treatment in most cases. The key is to have the skin treated, allow it to heal slowly over time and then be careful with future sun exposure.

  • How to Restore Dull Skin from Sun Damage?

    The best treatment to refresh and rejuvenate the skin is our DermaPeel treatment. This uses fractional CO2 laser technology to gently remove skin and encourage new skin growth in the place of old sun damaged skin tissue.

Want an Instant Answer? Give us a call 250-868-3070 Contact Us Testimonials
  • Google Reviews
  • RateMDs

Before & After

Photo gallery of actual patients

Photo gallery of actual patients

View Gallery

Testimonials

More Testimonials Monica Schnarre

Popular Treatments

  • Botox® Cosmetic
  • DermaFill | Facial Anti-Aging
  • CoolSculpting® Fat Reduction
  • miraDry® Sweat Reduction
  • Belkyra® For Double Chins
Halo Laser in Kelowna – Worth It?

Halo Laser in Kelowna – Worth It?

The Halo laser by Sciton is a dual-wavelength … Read More..

Back to School Acne & Acne Scar Treatments

Back to School Acne & Acne Scar Treatments

It is that time of year again.  Time to start the … Read More..

Treatments & Procedures

  • Laser hair removal
  • BOTOX Cosmetic
  • Skin Cancer Treatments
  • Juvederm
  • Varicose Vein Treatments
  • CoolSculpting Fat Removal
  • Moles
  • Fractional CO2 Laser
  • Laser Tattoo Removal in Kelowna

Areas We Serve

  • Kelowna
  • Kamloops
  • Prince George
  • Nelson
  • Penticton
  • Other Areas We Serve

Contact

250-868-3070 Contact Us
1626 Richter St #200
Kelowna, BC V1Y 2M3
Fax: 250-868-3071

Copyright © 2018 | DermMedica | Privacy Policy
MENU
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Dr. Crippen
    • Meet our Staff
    • Before & After Gallery
    • Testimonials
    • Blog
  • Skin Conditions
    • Acne Treatments
    • Birthmarks
    • Hyperhidrosis – Excessive Sweating
    • Melasma Treatment
    • Rosacea Treatment
    • Skin Cancer: Diagnosis and Treatment
    • Sun Damage Treatments
    • Varicose & Spider Vein Treatments
  • Cosmetic Skin Problems
    • Acne Scar Treatments
    • Brown Spots & Age Spots Removal
    • Ear Lobe Repair
    • Facial Volume Loss
    • Fat Deposits and Fat Reduction
    • Moles/Skin Tag Removal & Treatment
    • Pearly Penile Papule (PPP) Treatment
    • Saggy Skin Treatment
    • Scalp Micro Pigmentation Removal
    • Thin Lips
    • Wrinkle Treatments
  • Skin & Laser Treatments
    • Belkyra® For Double Chin
    • Botox® Cosmetic
    • Chemical Peel Treatments
    • CoolSculpting Fat Removal
    • DermaFill | Facial Anti-Aging
    • Facelift – Non-Surgical
    • Fractional CO2 Laser
    • IPL Laser
    • Juvederm Fillers
    • Laser Hair Removal
    • Laser Tattoo Removal
    • miraDry ® | Sweat-Free
    • Scar Treatments
    • Sclerotherapy for Veins
    • V-Beam Laser Treatment
  • Skin Care
    • SkinMedica Skin Care
    • Colorescience Mineral Makeup
    • Elta MD | Sunscreen Products
    • Latisse for Eyelashes
  • Contact Us