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Summer Safe Cosmetic Treatments

Written by WD Staff, Skin Care Specialists on September 6, 2022 No Comments

summer sun

Summer is the time to show off a little more skin and a fresh, glowing face. However, cosmetic treatments don’t always mix well with stronger sun, longer days, and more time spent outdoors. Some treatments can leave the skin extremely vulnerable to UV rays, overexposure to which can cause irritation and damage.

Here’s what cosmetic treatments safe for summer, which should be avoided, and why.

Cosmetic Treatments To Avoid During Summer

In general, cosmetic treatments to avoid during summer include anything that will make your skin more sensitive to the sun. This includes deep resurfacing procedures as well as most laser and light-based treatments. Consider refraining from the following treatments during the summer months:

  • Skin resurfacing including microblading
  • Chemical peels
  • Ablative lasers (CO2 lasers and Erbium YAG lasers)
  • Laser treatment for skin pigmentation
  • Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy

Issues Caused By Post-Treatment Sun Exposure

Treatments that cause sensitivity to UV light are best avoided during the summer, since they can lead to the following issues.

  • Hyperpigmentation: With sun exposure, dark spots that have been treated may come back and can return even darker. Scars can also form permanent dark spots if exposed to the sun.
  • Sunburn: Treatments that weaken or remove uppermost layers of skin increase the risk of sunburn. Sun damage leads to fine lines, wrinkles, sagging, and in the worst cases, skin cancer.
  • Scarring: Treatment that damages the top layer of skin is best left to recover out of the sun. Sun exposure can make scars more noticeable, and may lead to permanently hyperpigmented scars.
  • Infection: During the summer months, the risk of infection increases. Spending time outdoors, and especially sweating, exposes skin to bacteria and other harmful factors.
  • Irritation: Permanent skin damage aside, heat, humidity and summer sweat can make skin more sensitive. This can increase irritation, redness, swelling or bruising after ablative treatments.

Ideal Cosmetic Treatments for Summer

Fortunately, there are many great cosmetic treatments that are ideal for all seasons including Summer. These treatments do not require significant downtime or time spent hiding from the sun. Summer safe treatments include:

Botox

Botox and Dysport are brand names for anti-aging neurotoxins. These popular cosmetic treatments prevent static wrinkles from forming by temporarily paralyzing muscles in the face.

The relatively safe and painless procedure can be completed in-office in under 30 minutes and requires little to no recovery time. It does not make skin more sensitive to sun exposure.

Results are noticeable within one month and the treatment can last you all summer, for up to 6 months.

Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers treat soft tissue in the face and can make skin appear smoother, cheekbones higher, or lips fuller. Hyaluronic acid fillers stimulate the body’s natural collagen production without making skin more sensitive to UV light.

Like Botox, dermal filler is a safe treatment which takes place with a quick in-office appointment. Injectables require little to no downtime.

Ultherapy

While laser treatments are off-limits during the summer, Ultherapy is different. This skin-tightening treatment uses ultrasound energy to stimulate collagen production. After treatment, skin appears tighter and more lifted.

Since Ultherapy doesn’t target pigment and requires no downtime, it’s safe to use during summer. Full results are revealed 3-6 months after the procedure.

Clear + Brilliant Laser

Clear + Brilliant is another exception to the no-laser-during-summer rule. Because this laser is very mild, it’s safe to use even if you expect to spend some time in the sun.

Treatment sessions take approximately 30 minutes and leave skin smoother with a more radiant glow. Results are most apparent after 1-2 weeks and can last for months.

Thermage

Thermage is a radiofrequency-based treatment that heats skin to stimulate new collagen production. Thermage treatments can help the face appear more smooth, toned and radiant. Thermage also works on the body. Common treatment areas include lax or crepey skin around the buttocks, thighs or knees.

Thermage is a non-invasive procedure which requires no downtime. Full results appear after 4-6 months and can last for a year.

CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting is a form of non-invasive, non-surgical fat removal. Unlike liposuction, it’s safe to do during the summer because it requires no incisions, which must be shielded from the sun. The method freezes fat cells which are then naturally removed by the body. There’s no damage to skin.

This treatment is recommended for those at or near their ideal body weight who’d like to reveal more tone and contour. For results you can show off during the summer, it’s best to treat at least one month in advance. Full results are realized after 3-6 months after fat cells have been cleared by the body.

miraDry

miraDry is the perfect summer treatment for those who tend to sweat a lot. The FDA-approved thermal and electromagnetic device can permanently prevent underarm sweat and the associated body odor. In the process, it also removes unwanted hair.

Because it doesn’t leave skin more sensitive to the sun, miraDry is safe to do during the summer. Results are possible after just a single 60-minute treatment session.

Summary

Some cosmetic treatments damage the skin to promote healing and increase the production of younger, newer skin cells. When the top layer of skin is compromised, it’s best to stay out of the sun. Others treatments require incisions, which leaves the potential for permanent scarring when exposed to the sun.

If you have cosmetic treatments for the face or body in mind, there are many you can safely do over the summer, which don’t require staying out of the sun.


WD Staff

A united group of skin care specialists from Westlake Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery, Austin's leader in Dermatology and Plastic Surgery. Articles posted under WD staff are authored through combined contributions from our entire team, including Plastic Surgeons, Dermatologists, Aestheticians, Physician Assistants, Aesthetic Nurses, and Patient Coordinators.


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