Sun Damage Treatments in Orange County

Over a lifetime, exposure to the sun can age and discolor your skin. Beyond the cosmetic effects, overexposure can also put you at risk for more serious concerns, such as skin cancer.

As a board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Lenore Sikorski offers services that improve both the appearance and the health of the skin. Patients begin with an initial consultation about sun damage treatment in Orange County. At our practice, Dr. Sikorski will:

  • Conduct a comprehensive examination to identify problem areas.
  • Advise a course of action based on your needs.
  • Explain her recommendations so that you can make an informed decision about treatment.

The approach Dr. Sikorski advises will depend on the nature of your skin condition and the goals you would like to achieve. As a patient, you can expect attentive treatment from an experienced doctor with knowledge in both the aesthetic and medical aspects of skin concerns.

Conditions That May Require Sun Damage Treatment

Patients may benefit from care with our practice if they notice one of the following:

Uneven Pigmentation

Your skin responds to overexposure to sunlight by increasing its production of melanin. This dark brown pigment is what gives your skin a tan appearance. However, melanin production may not always be even, and your skin can take on irregular coloring as a result.

Solar Lentigines

Solar lentigines, also known as liver spots or age spots, are areas of increased pigmentation. These spots are different from freckles, which are smaller and colored red or light brown. Usually, older patients seek sun damage treatment for solar lentigines, but these blemishes can also occur in younger people due to extensive exposure.

Solar Elastosis

Sun damage can cause deep wrinkles, creases, and sagging over time by breaking down the connective tissue in the deep layers of the skin.

Melasma

Melasma is a combination of factors can cause the skin of your face to take on a dark brown color, including sun exposure and an increase in female hormones. If you are out in the sun often and take oral contraceptives, receive hormone therapy, or are pregnant, you may notice these changes.

Poikiloderma

Frequent sun damage and the use of certain sun-sensitive chemicals, such as perfume, can cause reddish-brown pigmentation to develop. Most often, poikiloderma appears on the neck or cheeks.

Actinic keratoses

These scaly growths may appear the same color as the skin or slightly darker / lighter. If patients with actinic keratosis do not receive sun damage treatment, the lesions may progress to skin cancer.

Melanoma / Lentigo Maligna

Melanoma, or skin cancer, may appear as a small growth or as a sore that bleeds, heals, and then reopens. Lentigo maligna is one form of melanoma that develops in areas of long-term sun exposure. It begins as a flat, dark spot and darkens and grows over time. If you notice that an existing mole has changed in appearance or that an irregularly-shaped, colored, or textured mole has developed, consider scheduling an appointment with our practice.

Your Experience with Sun Damage Treatment

Natural Image OC offers a variety of approaches to sun damage treatment for patients in Laguna Niguel. The following is an overview of some of the solutions Dr. Sikorski and our practice provide.

  • PhotoDerm (IPL Photofacial). Dr. Sikorski uses pulsed light to reduce the appearance of dark spots and discoloration on the skin’s surface.
  • Cutera Pico Enlighten 532, 670, 1064 nm. Lasers to treat brown spots and for laser toning.
  • Fraxel® (1550 Wavelength). This fractional laser can address skin roughness, discoloration, and actinic keratosis, while also treating acne scars and fine wrinkles.
  • Ultrapulse Fractionated CO2 lasers can be used on many skin types for various forms of sun damage and generally require a single treatment. They are also excellent solutions for treating wrinkles, shaving years off your appearance.
  • Smoothbeam. A laser treatment, Smoothbeam is used for acne and oil glands.
  • Chemical peels. Our practice can use a range of peels with varying levels of intensity. This allows us to treat sun damage effectively and non-invasively.
  • Actinic keratosis peel. Dr. Sikorski may recommend this treatment for precancerous skin growths to protect patients against future health concerns.
  • Sciton® Erbium Laser. Dr. Sikorski refers to this sun damage treatment as the “ultimate skin resurfacer.”
  • Omnilux Revive™. This LED light treatment offers general skin improvement and accelerates healing after laser therapies.
  • Photo Dynamic Therapy. Treatments with PDT use special lights to eliminate deep-level sun damage and actinic lesions.
  • Thulium (1927). A fractionated laser treatment for sun damage with limited downtime. Our Thulium laser is also FDA approved for pre-cancer and from discoloration. Dr. Sikorski calls it her “glow laser”, since it helps the skin glow while creating a beautiful, natural looking skin appearance.
  • ScarFX. A treatment to help reduce the appearance of scars.

In addition to the broad range of technologies that Natural Image OC provides, patients benefit from Dr. Sikorski’s experience and cross-functional expertise in dermatology and cosmetic surgery. If you are interested in sun damage treatment with our practice, we invite you to get in touch.

Discuss sun Damage Treatments in Orange County Today

You’ll enjoy a relaxing visit to our office where you can ask questions, meet our staff, take a tour of our office and surgical suite and view additional photo results of our patients.

Your consultation assessment is with a Natural Image OC provider. Fees and procedure preparations are discussed with our patient care coordinator, who will detail the experience with you.

If you would like to schedule a complimentary consultation with Natural Image OC, contact our office today.