For something that’s such a commonplace part of our lives, sunlight can have a profound effect on the skin. While you should take precautions to protect your skin all year long, it’s of particular concern during the summer because the sun is stronger, there are more hours of sunlight each day, and people also tend to have more skin exposed in order to stay comfortable in the summer heat. Beyond day-to-day skin care, the sun is an important consideration when you’re planning cosmetic treatments as well, because certain procedures don’t mix well with sun exposure. So which treatments can you safely receive during the summer?

The truth is that any procedure can be safely performed during the summer. Specifically, this applies to any laser treatment. The use of lasers on tanned skin can make your skin more vulnerable to changes in pigmentation, so we advise our patients to be vigilant about protecting the treatment area for at least six weeks before and six weeks after any laser procedure, whether it’s laser hair removal, tattoo removal, or any of the many other laser treatments we offer. For many patients, this is simply more convenient during cooler weather when they’re more likely to spend time indoors.

Fortunately, for many aesthetic goals, we offer non-laser treatment methods as well, such as:

• Microneedling– This method is becoming more and more popular. Instead of using a fractional laser to stimulate your body’s collagen production (which leads to firmer skin with fewer fine lines, wrinkles, and acne scars), these treatments use ultrafine needles. At Dermatology Associates of Atlanta (DAA), we offer traditional microneedling with Réjuvapen® as well as a modified version called Infini™ Skin Tightening, which combines microneedling with radio frequency energy (RF) for more comprehensive results.
• Body contouring – While our SlimLipo™ laser-assisted liposuctionis a highly effective way to sculpt the body, if you aren’t comfortable with surgery and/or lasers, we offer a variety of non-surgical fat reduction methods as well, including CoolSculpting®, UltraShape®, and BodyFX™. Each of these treatments use a different technique (like controlled cooling, ultrasound, or RF) to break down fat cells with no incisions or recovery time.
• Injectables –Cosmetic facial injections are a favorite for smoothing fine lines and wrinkles. Botox®, Dysport®, and Xeomin® relax the tense facial muscles to reduce frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead creases, while facial fillers like Restylane®, Juvéderm®, and others add youthful volume to fill in smile lines, marionette lines, and other wrinkles around the nose and mouth.
• Ultherapy®– While injectables are a great way to target specific lines and wrinkles, Ultherapy® offers non-surgical skin firming to address the laxity and sagging that also appears with age. Using ultrasound technology, Ultherapy® tailors the treatment to each patient’s facial rejuvenation needs, stimulating collagen growth for firmer, lifted, more youthful skin.

While these treatments don’t carry the risk of pigmentary change laser procedures do, it’s always important to make sun protection a part of your daily routine to reduce your risk for both skin cancer and premature aging. One of the most important steps toward achieving the aesthetic results you’re looking for is selecting the right treatment based on your cosmetic goals, medical needs, and other priorities, but regardless of which option you choose, be sure to closely follow all the pre- and post-procedure instructions you receive. To get started and learn which treatments you may be a candidate for, schedule a consultation at Dermatology Associates of Atlanta with one of our eight experienced providers. Or, for more skin care tips, special offers, upcoming events, and health news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.