SUN DAMAGED SKIN TREATMENTS

Do you wish your face looked as young as you feel? Does your skin resemble an old, creased leather handbag? Is your face covered in sun spots and other pigmentation? Sun damaged skin can make you appear much older than your years, but it can be treated quite effectively.

We offer a large range of skin repair and rejuvenation treatments that can improve the signs of sun damaged skin, including wrinkles and pigmentation. Some involve the use of technologically advanced light treatments and lasers and all are conducted by highly qualified professionals in a safe, sterile and private clinic room.

Take a look at the overview of our treatments below, then call us on 1300 88 99 35 to arrange a free private consultation with one of our highly trained team. During the consultation, you will be assessed to determine which procedure is best for your skin concern and budget.

• Medical Skin Care Products
• Peels and Therapeutic Facials
• Fraxel Lite Skin Photo-Rejuvenation
• Fraxel re:store Skin Resurfacing
• Starlux 500 Photo-Rejuvenation
• Starlux 500 Photodynamic Therapy
• Gemini Photo-Rejuvenation

Medical Skin Care Products

• Concerns: Sun damaged skin, including pigmentation and fine lines
• Solution: Our scientifically proven, medical-strength skin care products can't be purchased in retail stores and include therapeutic skin care solutions and mineral make-ups to mask colour inconsistencies.
• Time: Morning and evening skin care regimen and use of make-up as desired.

For a skin care range to be truly effective it has to be in a form that will penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin - ideally, it has to be a serum. Too often, skin care products are too oily/creamy and block the pores, leading to other skin problems and preventing easy camouflage with make-up.

Your skin products should include:

• anti-oxidants, especially vitamin A and C
• effective cleansers and exfoliants to unblock oil build-up in the pores and remove old skin cells
• sunscreens to prevent further sun damage
• pigment inhibitors
• skin hydrators - in the form of light, yet effective, moisturisers.

At the Facial Rejuvenation Clinic, we individually assess your skin and tailor a skin care regimen suitable for your skin type, condition and colour. We also advise camouflage make-up that gives good natural cover without blocking your pores.

We offer a comprehensive range of carefully researched and selected face and body products. These are very effective, nutritional treatments that contain highly purified anti-oxidants, vitamins and enzymes and no bulking agents and preservatives. Therefore, what you are placing on your skin is just the active product you need. The aim of the serums is to provide maximum renewal of skin collagen and elastin, plus improve skin pigmentation, discolouration and lustre.

We have trialled all the common brands of skin care and have rejected those we deem aren't sufficiently effective for either home use or professional clinic use for performing our facials and skin peels. The range of products we recommend to produce the best results for all skin conditions are as follows:

• Aspect
• CosMedix
• Results Rx
• Jan Marini
• Osmosis
• Rationale
• Obagi

As part of our recommended range, we provide several well-known and effective products for individual skin conditions. These are as follows.

ASAP

Clinic Care/Neova

We also offer mineral make-ups, which are ideal for covering skin inconsistencies. These are as follows.

Synergie Minerals Make-up

Synergie Minerals is designed to work in perfect synergy with your skin, offering powerful anti-oxidants to nurture and improve skin health, a natural broad spectrum UV protection and amazing results. The products are free of paraben, talc and artificial colouring, so there is no solution "build-up" and your skin can "breathe".

Jane Iredale Mineral Make-up

This range of make-up is not just a refinement of regular make-up, it is a new technology that is also good for the skin. It's so effective it is recommended by cosmetic surgeons, dermatologists and skin care professionals.
[Click here to reveal our fact sheet on Medical Skin Care Products]

Peels and Therapeutic Facials

• Concerns: Sun damaged skin, including pigmentation and fine lines
• Solution: Our therapeutic facials, including specialised acne facials, and face and body peels are professional, medical-strength skin treatments designed to encourage skin renewal and support your everyday skin care maintenance.
• Time: 30 minutes per facial, 30 minutes per face peel, 60 minutes per body peel
• Recovery: 0 days
• [Click here to reveal our fact sheet on Peels and Therapeutic Facials]

Fraxel Lite Skin Photo-Rejuvenation

• Concerns: Poor skin texture, poor lustre/colour, slight pigmentation and other sun damage
• Solution: The Fraxel skin resurfacing and rejuvenating machine offers breakthrough technology in deep laser resurfacing, providing a fresher appearance with rapid recovery.
• Time: 20 minutes per session (+ 2 hours preparation)
• Recovery: Overnight

Fraxel laser is the biggest breakthrough in skin repair and rejuvenation of this decade. It works miracles on a number of skin conditions, including sun damaged skin. This is due to the fact it can penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin (dermis) plus the amount of skin treated each time can be varied. This makes it suitable for all skin conditions and all skin colours. Furthermore, results can be achieved without the downtime, pain and complications of traditional lasers that remove damaged layers of skin to stimulate skin renewal.

Due to the nature of the laser, sun damaged skin treatments can tailored individually - reduced for minimal recovery and downtime or increased as necessary according to your needs. Treatments can also be personalised to achieve optimum results for all degrees of skin rejuvenation and skin resurfacing for sun damaged skin.

At The Facial Rejuvenation Clinic, the variation of Fraxel technology used (Lite or re:store) will depend on the nature of your skin concern.

What is sun damaged skin?

Sun damaged skin means any damage that has been caused by Ultra Violet radiation - sun spots and other pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, dryness and poor texture.

What is skin rejuvenation?

To rejuvenate your skin, you need to remove the dull, dead skin cells and sun damaged cells while stimulating new cell growth to reveal new, fresher, healthier skin on the surface with less redness and pigmentation.

Because the Fraxel can be tailored to individual skin types, it remains the best of the skin rejuvenation lasers. A Fraxel Lite Skin Photo-Rejuvenation treatment can have as quick a recovery time as all the other rejuvenating lasers and IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments.

What is skin resurfacing?

True resurfacing means to remove old and damaged skin and replace it with new skin by stimulating new collagen tissue growth. This can include just the superficial epidermal layers or the deeper layers of the skin.

The laser is the first laser that is able to penetrate deep enough to cause true resurfacing of the deepest dermal layers without breaking or burning the skin's surface. Older resurfacing lasers cause excessive heat destruction, break the skin's surface and require weeks of healing and downtime. Therefore, they have been greatly limited to shallow resurfacing. A deeper depth of resurfacing provides a longer-lasting and greater tightening repair of the skin.

Which areas can be treated?

Any area of face or body where you want to refine and tighten skin texture plus improve skin colour and pigmentation concerns. Unlike with other lasers, the neck, chest and hands can also be treated.

Is it safe?

The machine is FDA- and TGA-approved for use, which means it has been through rigorous investigation to ensure its safety. Fraxel has been trialled since 2000, was released into the market in 2004 and has been used for tens of thousands of treatments since. At The Facial Rejuvenation Clinic, we have completed more than 3000 treatments using the Fraxel laser.

How does it work?

The laser drives thousands of individual columns of light (about the width of a hair) deep into the skin, leaving the remaining skin to stimulate collagen - the basic building blocks or structural support of our skin. The fraction of skin treated by the laser beams can be varied 14-32 per cent - the microscopic columns of treated skin are eliminated slowly over many weeks as they are replaced by healthy new tissue. You will find that your skin improves in thickness and elasticity (springiness), as well as in colour, lustre and tone.

What happens during the procedure?

The Fraxel laser is rolled across the entire area it is treating eight or more times. Topical anaesthetic is applied before the procedure plus cold air is used during the procedure to minimise discomfort. Afterwards, cold compresses are applied to cool the skin. There is no skin breakage or burning - the skin remains dry. A sunscreen and a post-laser lotion are applied and often a dry, mineral powder camouflage make-up is used to cover the resulting redness. Most people feel comfortable travelling home by public transport.

How long does the procedure take?

15-30 minutes per session, depending on the size of the area treated (+ 2 hours preparation and 1 hour cooling time). Depending on your skin's needs, you will require 1-5 sessions, 2-6 weeks apart, for best results.

How long will my recovery be and what can I expect?

You will have the appearance of a red, 'sunburnt' face for 1-3 days with some swelling, depending on the level of treatment you have experienced. Much deeper treatments may require a few more days of recovery. Most people arrange their treatments for a Friday or Saturday morning and comfortably return to work the following Monday.

Is there any aftercare?

Your home aftercare is carefully discussed before and during each treatment session, which includes ongoing sunscreen protection. Also, you will need to return for a post-treatment facial to help with exfoliation and maximise new collagen stimulation.

How long do the results last?

Resurfacing can take up to 10 years off your skin's age, texture and colour, depending on your degree of skin sun damage before treatment. We recommend maintaining this improvement and slowing future ageing by using good skin care products containing anti-oxidants and always practising sun protection. Melasma, being a hormonal as well as a sun-prone condition, frequently recurs and requires careful maintenance and protection.
[Click here to reveal our fact sheet on Fraxel Lite Skin Photo-Rejuvenation]

Fraxel re:store Skin Resurfacing

• Concerns: Poor skin texture, ageing and sun damaged skin
• Solution: Using the deepest true skin resurfacing technology, this treatment is safe and effective, does not break the surface of the skin and offers the quickest recovery time of similar skin resurfacing treatments. It's suitable for all skin colours.
• Time: 30 minutes per session (+ 2 hours preparation). You require 4-5 sessions for best results.
• Recovery: 1-3 days, depending on depth of treatment, due to red and slightly swollen skin
• [Click here to reveal our fact sheet on Fraxel re:store Skin Resurfacing]

Starlux 500 Photo-Rejuvenation

• Concerns: Poor skin texture, large pores, redness and pigmentation
• Solution: The strongest and most effective of the IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) machines on the market, it is versatile across a number of skin conditions.
• Time: 20 minutes per session. You require 4-6 sessions for best results.
• Recovery: 0 days

What is it?

The Starlux 500 is the most powerful and quickest of IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) machines on the market. It is renowned for its excellent cooling system, making it ideal for treating a number of skin conditions, including redness and pigmentation. Most other IPL machines don't generate sufficient power, surface cooling and appropriate wavelengths to create enough heat to effectively treat many skin conditions.

Which areas can be treated?

All areas of the face and body can be treated. As the light technology targets the melanin in the skin, the lighter your skin colour, the more effective your treatment will be. You can still be treated if you have darker skin, but you will most likely need a greater number of treatments.

Is it safe?

As with any type of IPL therapy, the procedure is completely safe when delivered responsibly. The clinicians at The Facial Rejuvenation Clinic are highly trained in Starlux 500 Photo-Rejuvenation.

How does it work?

A wavelength of light heats the melanin in the skin, causing it to break down.

What happens during the procedure?

The head of the machine is passed over the area to be treated delivering heat. Only the melanin is targeted by the light, while the surrounding skin is kept cool. The Starlux 500 delivers effective cooling to the surface of the skin, making it the least painful of all IPL machines, especially when used on sensitive areas.

How long does the procedure take?

20 minutes per session. Due to its power and effectiveness, fewer treatments will be required compared to most other IPL machines. You will require 4-8 sessions for best results.

How long will my recovery be and what can I expect?

Recovery is immediate or overnight, depending on the size and location of the treatment. The area may be a little red for a few hours.

Is there any after care?

As with all skin treatments for various pigmentation, it is best to avoid the sun and use an SPF 30+ sunscreen at all times.

How long will it last?

The results from the Starlux 500 can be significant but will depend on the nature of your skin condition. The technology is superior, therefore a reduction in pigmentation should be evident. Most conditions involving pigmentation require maintenance treatments and skin care protection, but avoiding the sun will increase the longevity of results.
[Click here to reveal our fact sheet on Starlux 500 Photo-Rejuvenation]

Starlux 500 Photodynamic Therapy

• Concerns: Sun damaged skin, including pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, plus damage associated with pre-cancerous lesions
• Solution: This treatment combines Starlux 500 Photo-Rejuvenation with ALA (aminolevulinic acid) Therapy to target and treat damaged areas of skin.
• Time: 60 minutes per session. You require 4-6 sessions for best results.
• Recovery: Overnight
• [Click here to reveal our fact sheet on Starlux 500 Photodynamic Therapy]

Gemini Photo-Rejuvenation

• Concerns: Sun damaged skin including poor skin colour, texture and pigmentation
• Solution: This treatment combines the dual wavelength of vascular, skin collagen and pigment-repairing lasers with both KTP and YAG laser technology, resulting in quick and non-invasive improvement.
• Time: 20 minutes per session
• Recovery: Overnight

What is Gemini Photo-Rejuvenation?

The Gemini laser has two frequencies for the treatment of skin conditions - 532 nanometres (green KTP) and 1064 nanometres (Nd:YAG). The green light of the KTP laser is attracted to the blood in capillaries and the melanin in skin, making it an ideal laser for treating broken capillaries, rosacea, freckles, sunspots and pigmentation. The Nd:YAG laser is a deeper penetrating laser that can be used to treat deeper blood vessels and pigmentation, and also stimulate collagen regeneration for skin texture refinement.

What is sun damaged skin?

Sun damaged skin means any damage that has been caused by Ultra Violet radiation - sun spots and other pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, dryness and poor texture.

What is skin rejuvenation?

To rejuvenate your skin, you need to remove the dull, dead skin cells and sun damaged cells while stimulating new cell growth to reveal new, fresher, healthier skin on the surface. Gemini Photo-Rejuvenation is a laser treatment that has provided good to excellent outcomes.

Which areas can be treated?

All areas of the body can be treated. The most common area treated is the face.

Is it safe?

The Gemini laser has an astounding 23 FDA approvals for various skin treatments, making it very safe when operated by professionals. The clinicians at The Facial Rejuvenation Clinic are highly trained in Gemini Photo-Rejuvenation.

How does it work?

The Gemini laser is non-ablative and works by penetrating into the deeper layers of the skin and thereby stimulating collagen production from inside the skin. The energy from the KTP green laser is attracted to oxyhaemoglobin, a constituent of blood and closes off both deep and superficial blood vessels, reducing capillaries, redness and flushing. Laser light is also selectively absorbed by melanin pigment in the layers of skin to reduce pigmentation. It even stimulates collagen to refine texture.

What happens during the treatment?

The laser is passed multiple times across the area to be treated. A local anaesthetic is used to minimise discomfort.

How long does the treatment take?

10-20 minutes per session. For best results, you will need 1-6 treatments, 2-4 weeks apart, depending on the skin condition being treated.

How long will my recovery be and what can I expect?

Depending on how you are being treated, recovery is 0-3 days. For deeper treatments, there can be some facial swelling and this may last up to 3 days. There may also be an increased amount of redness, but this is temporary. Make-up can be used to mask any colour inconsistencies.

Is there any aftercare?

Avoid direct exposure to the sun for 48 hours following the treatment and always use an SPF 30+ sunscreen and wear protective clothing. It is important not to pick at the skin or irritate it after treatment.

How long do the results last?

The results from Gemini laser treatment can be significant but will depend on the nature of your skin condition. Most conditions involving redness and pigmentation require maintenance treatments and skin-care protection.
[Click here to reveal our fact sheet on Gemini Photo-Rejuvenation]