Sun Damage: What It Actually Looks Like and How We Can Treat It

Sun damage is often thought of as simply “sun spots”, but UV exposure can affect almost every aspect of how your skin looks and behaves.

From pigmentation and freckles to fine lines, loss of elasticity, rough texture and uneven tone, cumulative UV exposure can gradually change the structure and function of the skin. UVA and UVB radiation both contribute to premature skin ageing, while UVB is particularly associated with sunburn and DNA damage.

The important thing to understand is that not all sun damage looks the same, and therefore it shouldn't all be treated in the same way.

1. Sun spots and solar lentigines

Those flat brown marks that appear on your cheeks, forehead, hands, chest and other sun-exposed areas are often solar lentigines, commonly called sun spots or age spots.

They develop as a result of cumulative UV exposure and are a visible sign of previous sun exposure.

At Glass Face, pigmentation is approached according to its cause, depth and your individual skin type.

For suitable clients, this may include:

• Cosmelan and targeted chemical peel protocols

• Prescription skincare where appropriate

• Pigment-targeting skincare ingredients

• Carefully planned skin treatments to improve overall tone and texture - such as BBL Laser

Chemical peels can remove damaged superficial skin cells and may improve pigmentation, texture and some signs of photoageing.

The key is not simply trying to “strip away” pigmentation. Pigmentation can return if the underlying triggers, particularly UV exposure, aren't addressed.

2. Uneven pigmentation and melasma

Not all pigmentation caused or worsened by the sun is a sun spot.

Melasma is a particularly important example. It tends to appear as larger, symmetrical areas of brown or grey-brown pigmentation, commonly across the cheeks, forehead, upper lip and nose.

Sun and visible light can aggravate melasma, which is why treatment requires considerably more thought than simply reaching for the strongest peel available. DermNet recommends lifelong sun protection as a fundamental part of managing melasma.

For suitable clients, a tailored combination of prescription skincare, pigmentation protocol, chemical peels and BBL may form part of the treatment plan.

With pigmentation, more aggressive does not automatically mean better. In some skin types, excessive inflammation can actually trigger further pigmentation.

3. Freckles

Freckles are another form of UV-responsive pigmentation.

Unlike solar lentigines, freckles can become more prominent with sun exposure and often fade during periods of reduced exposure.

They aren't necessarily something that needs treating, but if you want to reduce their appearance, the approach needs to consider your skin type, pigmentation pattern and whether you are prone to post-inflammatory pigmentation.

And, as always, prevention matters. Consistent SPF 50+ and sensible sun protection can reduce the development and darkening of UV-related pigmentation.

4. Fine lines and wrinkles

This is where sun damage becomes more than a pigmentation issue.

UV exposure contributes to photoageing, which can present as fine lines, deeper wrinkles, dryness, laxity and changes in skin texture. Chronic sun exposure also contributes to the breakdown and alteration of the collagen and elastin that give skin its structure and resilience.

This is where our approach moves beyond simply trying to make the skin look brighter.

Depending on your skin and goals, treatments such as:

• Microneedling

• Chemical peels

• Polynucleotides

• Skin boosters

• Biostimulatory treatments

• BBL Laser

can form part of a longer-term skin rejuvenation plan.

Microneedling, for example, creates controlled micro-injuries that stimulate the skin's repair response and collagen production. Chemical peels can also improve surface texture and stimulate new collagen, depending on the depth and formulation used.

The aim isn't simply to make the skin look temporarily better. It's to improve the quality of the skin itself.

5. Loss of elasticity and crepey skin

Long-term UV exposure can leave skin thinner, drier and less elastic, sometimes giving it a crepey or lax appearance. Photoaged skin can also develop a yellowish tone and more visible blood vessels as structural changes accumulate.

This is where treatments designed to support collagen, hydration and overall skin quality can become valuable.

Polynucleotides, skin boosters and biostimulatory treatments may be considered as part of a wider plan, alongside appropriate home skincare.

These treatments aren't designed to erase sun damage overnight. Instead, they can support gradual improvements in skin quality, hydration, firmness and resilience.

6. Rough, thickened or scaly areas

This is the one I don't want you trying to treat yourself.

Persistent rough, scaly, crusted or changing areas of sun-damaged skin can sometimes be actinic keratoses. These are precancerous lesions associated with cumulative UV exposure.

A lesion that is growing, bleeding, becoming painful, ulcerating or changing should be assessed medically rather than treated as a cosmetic concern.

Not every brown mark is a sun spot, and not every rough patch is simply “dry skin”.

That is why assessment comes before treatment.

So, what can actually make a difference?

The most effective approach to sun damage is rarely one treatment.

It is usually a combination of prevention, appropriate home skincare and targeted professional treatments.

At Glass Face, your treatment plan may include:

✨ Prescription or targeted skincare to address pigmentation, ageing and skin health

✨ Chemical peels, including pigmentation-focused protocols such as Cosmelan

✨ Microneedling to stimulate collagen and improve texture

✨ Polynucleotides and skin boosters to support hydration and skin quality

✨ Biostimulatory treatments where appropriate for longer-term collagen support

✨ BBL Laser to help break down pigmentation across skin types & body areas

The exact combination depends on what we're actually treating.

And the most important treatment of all?

SPF.

You can invest in the most sophisticated treatment plan available, but if you're continuing to expose your skin to UV without adequate protection, you're working against yourself.

Daily broad-spectrum SPF 50+, alongside shade, protective clothing and sensible sun exposure, is fundamental to preventing further damage and helping maintain your results.

Sun damage doesn't happen overnight, and reversing its visible effects shouldn't be expected to either.

The goal isn't to chase perfect skin. It's to understand what your skin is showing you, identify what can be improved and build a realistic treatment plan that works with your skin rather than against it.

If you're noticing pigmentation, uneven tone, fine lines, texture changes or loss of firmness and you're not sure where to start, a proper skin assessment is the best place to begin

Book in your free consultation here.