Did you know that there is more to sun-damaged skin than just sunburns? While sunlight is an important source of Vitamin D–and an overall mood booster–those rays have a hidden danger.

UV rays in sunlight can seriously damage your skin, leading to a form of premature skin aging known as photoaging and, in the most severe cases, skin cancer. You don’t need to get a sunburn for your skin to get sun-damaged!

This all may sound a little scary, but you don’t need to avoid the sun completely. In this article, we’ll explain how sun damage occurs and how to prevent, treat, and even reverse the effects of photoaging through cutting-edge skincare!

How Does the Sun Damage Your Skin?

We’ve all experienced a sunburn, but how does the sun actually damage your skin? The answer is UV radiation. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a form of energy produced by the sun. When UV rays hit your skin, your DNA absorbs the radiation, becoming damaged in the process.

There are three types of UV radiation:

  • UVA: UVA rays are the least powerful form of UV radiation, but they have the longest wavelength, so they penetrate all the way into the deepest layers of your skin. UVA rays stimulate melanin production, which causes tanning. UVA also breaks down collagen and elastin–proteins that play major roles in skin appearance and wound healing. That means that UVA damaged skin leads to wrinkles, dullness, and sagging, as well as an increased susceptibility to bruising and tearing.
  • UVB: UVB rays do not travel as deeply into the skin, but they are extremely powerful. When you get a sunburn, UVB is to blame. UVB radiation alters skin cells on a DNA level, leading to sun spots, freckles, sunburns, and actinic keratosis (precancerous cells).
  • UVC: UVC rays are filtered out by the ozone layer, so they are not a concern for skin damage.

You encounter UV radiation whenever you step out into the sun or use a tanning bed. Because UV rays have such a short wavelength, they are invisible, and even if it is cloudy outside, UV radiation can still reach you.

That means that most of the time, we don’t know we have been exposed to too much UV radiation until we see the physical side effects, like sunburns. And critically, you don’t need to get a sunburn to experience sun damage!

How to Protect Your Skin from Sun Damage

You cannot–and should not–avoid sunlight completely, so it’s important to learn how to protect your skin from sun damage.

Follow these steps to prevent photoaging:

  1. Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day (even if it is cloudy).
  2. Wear protective clothing, like wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, and long sleeves, when you are outside. If you are going to be in the sun for a long period of time, you can even try special UV-resistant clothing.
  3. Limit sun exposure when UV radiation levels are at their highest (10am-4pm).
  4. Do not use tanning beds. You can still achieve a sunkissed look with bronzers and spray tans, without exposing yourself to dangerous UV radiation.


What Does Sun-Damaged Skin Look Like?

Sun-damaged skin may not be immediately visible. However, sun damage is cumulative, and as you get exposed to more and more UV rays, the signs of photoaging will become more apparent.

The symptoms of sun-damaged skin include:

  • Sunburns
  • Wrinkles and fine lines
  • Hyperpigmentation (patches of discolored skin colloquially known as sun spots, liver spots, and age spots)
  • Freckles and moles
  • Sagging skin
  • Spider veins
  • Decreased skin luminosity
  • Uneven complexion
  • Persistent facial redness
  • Dry, scaly patches of skin (actinic keratosis)
  • Thin skin that bruises and/or tears easily

Even minor symptoms of sun-damaged skin can have a major effect on your self-esteem! Thankfully, you have a variety of treatment options to diminish and even reverse the effects of UV radiation and photoaging.

Treatment Options for Sun-Damaged Skin

Treatment options for sun-damaged skin range from over-the-counter topical creams to cutting-edge skincare procedures.

To treat sun-damaged skin, you can try:

  • Moisturizer. Regularly applying moisturizer helps lock in your skin’s natural hydration, improving the appearance and feel of sun-damaged skin while also preventing the formation of new wrinkles.
  • Topical retinoids. Over-the-counter retinol creams encourage cellular turnover and stimulate collagen production, improving skin texture, elasticity, and tone. For more advanced results, talk to your dermatologist about prescription-strength retinoids. 
  • Vitamin C. Vitamin C is available through topical serums or oral supplements. This antioxidant supports collagen health, which can reduce and slow down the effects of UV radiation.
  • Laser skin resurfacing. Laser skin resurfacing uses lasers to remove the damaged top layer of your epidermis, revealing the smoother skin underneath while also stimulating collagen production. Laser skin resurfacing can help improve the appearance of hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and wrinkles.
  • Chemical peels. A chemical peel uses the same basic principles of laser skin resurfacing, but instead of removing damaged skin with lasers, it uses a chemical solution, such as trichloroacetic acid or glycolic acid. Chemical peels can be especially useful for removing actinic keratosis.
  • Microdermabrasion. Microdermabrasion is like supercharged exfoliation. In this procedure, your aesthetician will use crystals to “sand” off the upper layer of your skin, improving the appearance of sun spots, wrinkles, and pores.
  • Cryotherapy. Cryotherapy can be used to freeze and remove moles, actinic keratosis, and large, raised sun spots.
  • Injectables. Injectables, like fillers or botox, can be used to improve the appearance of deep-set wrinkles caused by sun damage.
  • Facelift. A facelift is a surgical procedure that tightens sagging skin caused by photoaging and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.


While all of these treatment options have an important place in skincare and beauty, the most effective photoaging treatments go beyond simply diminishing the appearance of sun-damage symptoms; they actually reverse damage and rejuvenate the skin. That’s where Procell microchanneling comes in.

Effectively Treat Sun-Damaged Skin and Reverse Photoaging with Procell Microchanneling 

Procell microchanneling is the most effective way to treat–and permanently reverse–the effects of sun damage. Pioneered by Procell Therapies, microchanneling is the next evolution of microneedling, and this revolutionary procedure uses advanced techniques to permanently remove cosmetic issues while supercharging your skin health.

A Procell treatment starts by opening thousands of precise microchannels across your skin with the patented Procell device. Microchanneling breaks up sun spots and melanin clumps, and it jumpstarts your body’s natural collagen and elastin production process.

As your skin starts to heal the micro-injuries, it will also “re-heal” the effects of sun damage, which means that your Procell results are permanent. And the process is so minimally invasive and precise that you will experience virtually no downtime! Whereas treatments like chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and laser resurfacing require days (and even weeks) for a full recovery, Procell only takes 60 to 90 minutes!

Microchanneling alone would be an effective photoaging treatment; however, Procell’s secret weapon for fighting sun damage is our advanced serum with DNA repair enzymes. DNA repair enzymes find damaged sections of DNA, bind themselves to them, and get to work repairing them.

Your body has DNA repair enzymes that work to keep you healthy. However, the natural system gets overwhelmed quickly, and DNA repair moves slowly. For example, if you get a sunburn, only 50% of the damage will be repaired within 24 hours. Procell’s serum introduces new DNA repair enzymes to speed up this process!

Our DNA repair enzymes have been sourced from natural organisms that are uniquely equipped to fight sun damage, such as plankton and plants that have evolved to withstand high levels of UV exposure. These DNA repair enzymes offer next-level protection from UV rays while reversing damage and improving your overall skin health.

With Procell, you can still have fun in the sun–without worrying about the UV damage. 


EastWest Microneedling (Diana & Amelia) are clinic consultants/representatives for Procell Therapies and would love to answer any questions you have about their top-of-the-line Microneedling device and serums! 


FOR MORE INFO AND TO POTENTIALLY WORK WITH US, PLEASE CLICK ON THE BUTTON BELOW 


(NOTE: If you fill out the info general inquiry on Procell's main page, they will randomly assign another rep to you). Ask us about current promotions, special EastWest Microneedling practitioner discounts and take advantage of our interest free payment plan!

For more info and to potentially work with us, please click on the button below

NOTE: If you fill out the general inquiry on Procell's main page, they will randomly assign another rep to you. Ask us about current promotions, special Eastwest Microneedling practitioner discounts and take advantage of our interest free payment plan!

Reach out to Amelia for More Information