The calendar has turned, and fall is finally here. However, some of summer’s effects are still present. With your skin’s exposure to the sun throughout the summer months, your skin naturally darkened by creating a dark brown pigment, called melanin, in order to protect itself from the sun’s damaging rays. This natural “tanning” of the skin darkens and fades in many people without any negative side effects. However, there are some people whose skin produces an irregular pigmentation of the skin, typically in patches, and they are left with uneven skin tone. If your facial skin has been left with an uneven complexion, here are tips and treatments that can help you regain a radiant appearance.

•  Wear sunscreen. Sunscreen should be a part of your daily beauty routine. Whether the weather is hot, cold, sunny, or cloudy, the sun’s damaging rays are always coming through the atmosphere. Protecting your skin from damage is the first step in healing it.
• Topical creams and gels. There are many good products on the market that have been clinically proven to reduce unwanted pigmentation. Retinoids and Vitamin C creams and gels encourage the skin cells to slough off and renew themselves at a faster rate in order to lighten brown patches of the skin.
• Exfoliation. Exfoliating the skin is important whether you have been plagued with sun damage or not. Because sun damage drastically reduces the rate in which skin cells renew themselves, uneven skin tone will appear even worse in those who do not exfoliate regularly. Using an exfoliating face wash once or twice a week will encourage your skin turn over skin cells at a faster rate.
• Lightening agents. Skin lightening agents can be quite effective when they contain the ingredient “hydroquinone.” This ingredient has been clinically proven to lighten dark patches of skin. When used in conjunction with a retinoid, together they can lighten superficial discoloration, uneven pigmentation, and sun damage.
• Chemical peels. A chemical peel is a professionally administered procedure that encourages rapid skin cell turnover. This procedure rapidly sloughs off the top layer of dead skin. In those with minimal sun damage, often only one treatment is necessary. For those with significant sun damage and dark patches, chemical peels can be performed in a series until the desired results are achieved.
• Laser skin therapy. Laser skin therapy is another professional procedure that is done to improve the skin’s texture and complexion by reaching deeper into the skin in order to correct serious sun damage.

At Atlanta Plastic Surgery Specialists, Dr. Mark Mitchell Jones wants to help everyone achieve a beautiful appearance. If sun damage has left dark patches on your skin that cause you feelings of embarrassment or self-consciousness, please contact our office today to learn how you can correct this damage.

Posted on behalf of Dr. Mark Mitchell Jones, Atlanta Plastic Surgery Specialists, P.C.
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