Long exposure to the sun without the appropriate protection and moisturising cause photoageing, responsible for 80% of skin damage. After the holidays, a series of characteristic signs pointing to varying degrees and intensities of photoageing appear. The presence in the skin of at least 3 of the following signs warn of premature skin damage:
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Thicker skin |
The epidermis presents major variations in thickness, alternating weakened atrophic, fine and impoverished areas with thicker hyperplastic areas |
|
Wrinkles |
Deep furrows appear, produced by contraction of the fibrous tracts in the adipose tissue, where the UVA exclusively reach |
|
Laxity |
Consequence of solar elastosis, formed by nodular clusters of amorphous fibres in the papillary dermis |
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Melasma-type colouring alterations |
This is an acquired, persistent and diffuse hypermelanosis, appearing in areas such as the face due to the increase in melanin and the number of melanocytes in the affected area |
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Mottled white patches |
Depigmented areas may appear in the form of white spots on the legs and arms. These hypopigmented blemishes are persistent and appear at random |
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Lentigines (freckles) |
The outcome of melanocyte clusters in the dermo-epidermal junction, appearing as brown, common and benign blemishes in varying densities and sizes. They are associated with chronic solar exposure and increase according to actinic damage |
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Telangiectasia |
Chronic irregular redness, such as dilated capillaries or telangiectasias are caused by the alteration of the fibres in the blood vessel walls, that dilate and become visible |
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Bruising |
The fragility of the capillary wall make the micro-veins more vulnerable, ruptured by tiny, insensitive traumas that turn into small bruised areas due to the extravasated blood |
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Open pores |
Skin laxity caused by solar elastosis also affects the skin's microrelief, causing deep furrow wrinkles and pore dilation, resulting in inconsistent skin surface |
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Actinic keratosis |
These are precancerous lesions that can result in basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma if repeated UV exposure continues |
Thicker skin, wrinkles, laxity or dilated pores
are all signs of photoageing
The number and intensity of these signs allow for skin ageing classification, according to the Glogau scale:
| Over 3 obvious signs | Early or moderate photoageing, palpable but not visible keratosis. Parallel smile lines, typical of people aged 30 or 40 |
|---|---|
| Over 4 obvious signs | Advanced photoageing with visible wrinkling at rest and obvious keratosis. Vascular lesions, typical of people aged 50 or 60 |
| Over 5 obvious signs | Severe photoageing with yellow or grey skin colour and wrinkling, typical of people aged 60 or over |
To recover skin smoothness and luminosity, its ability to regenerate must be accelerated and elasticity improved, as well as eliminating the after-effects of overexposure to the sun, such as blemishes and dilated capillaries.
IML recommends daily use of formulations rich in vitamins A and C and palmitoyl pentapeptide to achieve optimum skin repair following exposure to the sun. The treatment regimen and concentration of the active ingredients should be accurately established by a specialist physician:
Achieving Collagen III synthesis is vital in photoageing repair treatments, together with its transformation into Collagen I, which remains in the treated area for 5 to 7 years. The fibroblasts must be stimulated to accomplish this. These are the cells responsible for collagen, elastin, glycosaminoglycan and proteoglycan generation; all structural elements of the dermis.
Active Deep FX laser technology achieves fractional skin ablation with a hairline spot size. These small pulses respect the skin surface, delivering power to the deepest planes of the mid-dermal region. Conservation of the epidermis prevents redness and speeds up recovery, which could last 48 to 72 hours. The healthy tissue where the power is not applied provides fast and risk-free reepithelialization.
In just one session, the epidermis surface is renewed, free from blemishes and immediate tissue retraction with lift effect. The dermal layer is regenerated internally. It can applied on eyelids and allows for selection of different degrees of ablation according to the requirements of each patient.
Blemishes and redness that are usually associated with photoageing can be corrected with specific medical techniques which are completely compatible with regeneration treatment:
Photodynamic Therapy is an effective treatment for the elimination of solar keratoses and melasma. It combines the action of laser or pulsed light with photosensitive agents. These produce greater light absorption by the pigment-loaded keratinocytes that dehydrate completely on receiving laser light energy.
This is a non-invasive and painless procedure, comfortable and easy to apply. Just one session, lasting approximately 20 minutes, provides spectacular results in skin radiance, reducing the pore and eliminating most of the skin lesions.
The laser works by heating the capillary, causing it to swell until it bursts, originating an inconspicuous round bruise that is reabsorbed by the organism in under a fortnight.
Instituto Medico Laser uses a variety of technologies to treat capillaries:
Contact Instituto Medico Laser now for a free informative consultation.
