Pigmentation

Lets face it we ALL love to have a tan, we hear the words, makes you feel better, look better, healthier, have a glow to you, however did you know that tanned skin is actually damaged skin. It may look lovely and make you feel and look better but the dangers of a tan not only on your health but also your skin can be deathly. Skin cancer is on the rise-

In 2006, more than 90,000 people were diagnosed with skin cancer in the UK. More than 10,000 of these were malignant melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer. Each year, around 2,600 people die from skin cancer.

Skin cancers are caused by damage from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Protecting the skin from the sun can help prevent these cancers.

Scotland is cold and lets face it we dont get great summers either but that does not mean we need less sunscreen EVEN in the winter months. UVA rays are the rays which give us the wrinkles, UVB rays are the rays that cause cancers. Even in winter time I educate my clients about the importance of applying a high spf of minimun 30 EVERY day even in winter. I include this in my daily skincare routine and has now become a normal routine for me, this is the last product applied to the skin.

How does the sun damage skin?

UV rays penetrate deep into the skin and damage cells. These cells are then at risk of becoming cancerous. You can’t feel UV damaging your skin and it happens even when the sun doesn’t feel hot.

Getting sunburnt causes the top layers of skin to release chemicals that make blood vessels swell and leak fluids. Skin turns red and feels hot and painful, and severe sunburn can lead to swelling and blisters.

“Sunburn is dangerous at any age, but it’s especially harmful in children and young people,” says Katy Scammell of Cancer Research UK’s SunSmart campaign. “Sunburn in childhood can greatly increase your risk of developing skin cancer later in life.”

After you’ve been sunburnt, the skin peels to get rid of damaged cells. Eventually, it will heal and look healthy, but permanent damage may have been done. Some experts believe that just one episode of blistering sunburn before the age of 20 can double your chance of getting malignant melanoma.

Who Is At Risk?

Skin cancer can affect anyone, but people most at risk have:

fair skin that burns in strong sun
red or fair hair
a lot of moles or freckles
a personal or family history of skin cancer
already had sunburn, especially when young
People who are naturally brown or black are less likely however skin cancer can still occur

The Dangers Of Sun Beds

Sunbeds are not a safe alternative to lying outside in the sun. Skin will still be exposed to harmful UV rays. Health risks linked to sunbeds and other UV tanning equipment include:

skin cancer
premature ageing of skin
sunburnt skin
dryness and itching
bumpy rashes
eye irritation
cataracts

“Using sunbeds before the age of 35 increases your risk of skin cancer by up to 75%,” says Scammell. “Sunbeds also accelerate the skin’s natural ageing process.”

Treatments at Renu Skin Clinic

If you suffer from hyper pigmentation we can treat this condition using ZO Skin Health and ZO Medical Programmes.system which is a 7 step system over a course of 24 weeks. This system is taken home with you and used as a normal skincare routine. You are under the guidance of your prescriber Mrs Kristeen Geddes for the duration of the programme to monitor your results. We can also offer skin peels for certain conditions which are also great to treat sun damaged skin as well as hydration treatments, derma roller and microdermabrasion.

If you have a mole that is concerning you then we have a referral system in place with our consultant Mr Lowrie BAAPS will be able to assess, diagnose and treat accordingly. Your practitioner has gained a Bsc in tissue viability covering skin conditions and is able to and refer on to a specialist if she feels necessary after a consultation.