The summer sun is shining bright – so you have to shut down your anti-aging efforts, right?
Not necessarily. There are plenty of misconceptions about what’s safe during the summer in terms of noninvasive skincare. We’re here to set the record straight – and get you looking great even during (and after) periods of sun exposure.
The thing is, there are some treatments that you might actually be even more interested in during the warmer months, and you don’t need to hold back. Keep reading to learn more about these, and schedule a consultation to learn more about what we recommend for your personal needs.
Why Are Some Light-Based Treatments Unsafe in the Summertime?
The major concern is really the state of your skin after laser treatments. Treatments leave the skin in a mildly damaged, vulnerable state. This is because treatments like laser resurfacing and chemical peels create controlled trauma within the skin. This is intentional and stimulates healing and cell regeneration. But while the skin is healing, it needs to be protected from the sun.
The skin is highly sensitive post-treatment and is much more likely to absorb UV radiation and burn. Risks involved with sun exposure after laser treatments include:
- Subpar healing
- Inflammation
- Sunburn
- Permanent discoloration
- Scarring
Can I Continue Laser Hair Removal During the Summer?
Yes and no. For many patients, we do not recommend that you continue your laser hair removal treatments from June-August. If you’re going to be experiencing sun exposure (as so many do), you have to be extremely careful to avoid it for the 72 hours before your next treatment.
If you have had recent sun exposure, you run a risk of burns, scarring, and other skin damage. Your skin will be more sensitive to the heat of the laser, even if it seems fine and you feel like you don’t have a tan or a burn. So avoiding treatments entirely is the safest bet.
Tanned skin also makes it more difficult to remove hair. This is because the laser seeks out the pigmentation within hair follicles. If the skin is darker overall, it is harder for the laser to find the follicles and results will not be ideal.
So What CAN I Do During the Summer?
Summer-safe treatments are those that don’t interact with sun exposure. These are typically affecting deeper layers of the skin and leave the external layer undamaged, or are not light-based. Some of the most popular (and safest!) include –
- Ultherapy – Ultherapy delivers ultrasound energy deep within the skin. This stimulates collagen growth and tightens the area – and, more importantly, leaves the outer layer unmarred. Summertime is an excellent period for noninvasive skin tightening because you’re feeling motivated since your skin is more exposed and you notice sagging areas you’d like to tighten. Which brings us to…
- Thermage – Like Ultherapy, Thermage affects deeper layers of the skin, but uses radio frequency energy. Thermage has absolutely no interaction with sun exposure and is appropriate for many different areas of the body.
- Microneedling with Laser Genesis – Unlike many light-based treatments, Laser Genesis is not attracted to colored pigment in the skin. It’s still important to avoid sun exposure before and after these treatments, but they’re safer than similar options during the summertime.
- Botox – We tend to squint quite a bit during the summer because the sun is so bright. This deepens fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes and on the forehead. If you’re noticing the summer bringing out new lines, Botox is a great option – and you can get it right away. Results won’t be impacted by sun exposure, and your skin will start looking smoother ASAP.
Interested in any of the above? Get in touch – and don’t worry about waiting until October!