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Skin Ageing and Sun Damage Treatment Perth

Skin ageing and sun damage are progressive and cumulative skin and underlying tissue changes, driven by the passage of time and cumulative UV exposure. They lead to dry and rough skin texture, dullness, uneven skin colour with redness, mottled pigmentation with sunspots and other skin marks, loss of firmness and volume with fine lines and wrinkles. These changes arise from two distinct but closely interrelated processes – natural ageing, driven by genetics and hormonal decline, and photoageing, driven by cumulative UV exposure. They are interlinked because UV exposure accelerates natural skin ageing mechanisms, and skin chronically exposed to the sun tends to show the changes of natural ageing earlier and more severely. While natural ageing is inevitable, sun damage can be significantly prevented. Ageing skin and sun damage are improved at Anova Skin Clinic Floreat, Perth, using advanced laser, IPL, microneedling with growth factors and tailored combo skin treatments.

Skin Ageing and Sun Damage

Main Symptoms of Skin Ageing and Sun Damage

Natural Skin Ageing

Concerns Skin Ageing Natural Skin 1 - Anova Skin Clinic
  • Driven by genetics and hormonal changes
  • Decreased epidermal cell turnover, resulting in skin thinning and a dry, dull texture
  • Melanocyte functional decline, leading to uneven and mottled pigmentation, sunspots and skin marks
  • Dermal thinning, resulting in loss of firmness and volume, fine lines, and wrinkles
  • Elastic fibre decline, leading to loss of skin elasticity
  • Increase in skin lesions, marks and growths, oftentimes benign but may include cancerous lesions

Sun Damage or
Photoageing

Concerns Skin Ageing Sun Damage 1 - Anova Skin Clinic
  • Driven by UV radiation from sun exposure
  • Dysregulated epidermal cell turnover, leading to dry, rough, thickened, leathery skin texture
  • Melanocyte dysfunction, resulting in more prominent mottled pigmentation, sunspots and pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions
  • Dermal thinning, leading to loss of firmness and volume, with much deeper wrinkles and furrows
  • Increase in solar elastosis (dysfunctional and disorganised elastin fibres) resulting in loss of elasticity and a yellowish, sallow skin tone
  • Increase in skin lesions, marks and growths which may be benign or cancerous
Symptoms of skin ageing diagram

Main Causes of Skin Ageing and Sun Damage

  • Natural Ageing – Skin ageing is multifactorial, resulting in progressive structural and functional changes across skin and underlying tissues. In the epidermis, keratinocytes and melanocytes’ function deteriorates causing surface build-up, dryness, uneven tone, texture and dullness. In the dermis, fibroblast cells’ function decline causing loss of strength, elasticity, and volume forming looser and thinner skin with fine lines and wrinkles. These changes collectively drive visible skin ageing becoming progressively evident from the mid-30s onwards.
  • UV Radiation – UV radiation is the leading cause of premature skin ageing called photoageing. In the epidermis, UVB rays cause DNA damage to keratinocytes and melanocytes creating dysfunction and leading to barrier disruption, thickened and rough texture and uneven skin colour. In the dermis, UVA rays damage dermal cells, breaking down collagen and elastin, generating free radicals and chronic inflammation leading to loss of volume and deep wrinkles.
  • Hormonal Decline – Oestrogen plays a critical role in maintaining skin thickness and collagen integrity. In women, significant oestrogen decline during perimenopause and menopause leads to melanocyte dysfunction and dramatically accelerates collagen loss. Approximately 30% of skin collagen is lost in the first five years after menopause. All this leads to uneven pigmentation, skin thinning, redness, fine lines and wrinkles. Men experience a more gradual decline in testosterone and oestrogen, which partly explains why the visible skin ageing tends to develop later and progress less dramatically than in women.
  • Genetics – Genetic makeup influences timing and severity of skin aging, accounting for up to 60% of variability in how individuals age. Genes determine baseline melanocyte activity, antioxidant capacity, collagen density and skin thickness – influencing how early and how significantly skin ageing develops. That is why the same lifestyle and environmental factors will affect predisposed individuals more readily.
  • Lifestyle – Smoking is one of the most significant lifestyle accelerators of skin ageing through impaired circulation, and increased oxidative stress and chronic skin inflammation. A highly processed diet, poor in protein, vitamins and antioxidants and essential nutrients impairs collagen synthesis, sedentary lifestyle reduces circulation and muscle mass, while inadequate sleep, chronic stress and high alcohol intake increase oxidative damage and chronic inflammation. All of these lifestyle factors accelerate skin ageing.
  • Environmental Factors – Pollutants from traffic and industry as well as blue light from digital screens generate free radicals which drive oxidative skin stress and collagen breakdown to accelerate skin ageing.

How To Prevent or Minimise Skin Ageing and Sun Damage?

Summary Hyperpigmentation SPF 50 - Anova Skin Clinic

SUN PROTECTION

  • Broad-Spectrum SPF 50+ – provides high and broad protection against UVA and UVB radiation, both of which accelerate premature skin ageing at the surface and dermal level. It should be applied daily, indoors and outdoors and all year-round as UVA penetrates glass and cloud cover.
  • Sun Avoidance – avoid peak UV hours between 10am and 4pm where possible, particularly in summer and high UV environments.
  • Sun Protective Clothing – UPF 50+ wide-brim hats and clothing provide additional physical UV protection when outdoors.
  • ⚠️Natural skin ageing is inevitable – sun protection will slow down UV-driven skin ageing but cannot reverse already present skin ageing and sun damage.
Skin Ageing Daily Skincare - Anova Skin Clinic

DAILY SKINCARE

  • Consistent Skincare Actives – Retinoids, L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Niacinamide and Alpha Hydroxy Acids collectively support skin health and slow down skin ageing.
  • ⚠️Topical skincare actives can improve skin texture and tone, but they cannot fully reverse already established skin ageing and sun damage.
Skin Ageing Lifestyle - Anova Skin Clinic

LIFESTYLE

  • Smoking and Alcohol – smoking and alcohol increase skin inflammation, oxidative stress, and collagen breakdown – reducing or eliminating both meaningfully slows skin ageing.
  • Sleep and Stress – regular sleep schedule and stress management will improve skin resilience to damage and skn recovery.
  • Exercise – regular aerobic and resistance training reduces stress hormones, supports circulation, nutrient delivery and helps maintain skin elasticity and dermal thickness over time.
  • Nutrition – unprocessed and wholefood diet reduces oxidative skin damage and supports collagen synthesis and skin recovery.

Well-Researched Skincare Ingredients For Sun Damage

⚠️ While no topical skincare product can fully reverse established skin ageing and sun damage, the right skincare actives can meaningfully improve skin texture and tone and slow the rate of further skin decline over time.

INGREDIENT & ACTIONStrengthens Skin BarrierPromotes Cell TurnoverInhibits Melanin ProductionAntioxidant ProtectionReduces Skin InflammationStimulates CollagenStimulates Elastin
Retinoids* (Retinol, Retinal, Retinoic Acid)++++++++++++++
L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)––++++++++++++
Niacinamide
(Vitamin B3)		++++++++++++
Lactic & Mandelic Acid (AHAs)+++++++++++
Grading: +++ Strong action ++ Moderate action + Mild action – Not applicable
*Topical retinoids range in strength and delivery system – prescription-strength retinoic acid delivers faster results but carries a higher irritation potential. Retinoids are contraindicated during pregnancy – consult a medical doctor before use.

Emerging Skincare Ingredients For Skin Ageing and Sun Damage

INGREDIENT & ACTIONStrengthens Skin BarrierPromotes Cell TurnoverInhibits Melanin ProductionAntioxidant ProtectionReduces Skin InflammationStimulates CollagenStimulates Elastin
Bakuchiol+++++++++++++++
Resveratrol––+++++++++++
Gluconolactone & Lactobionic Acid (PHAs)++++++++++++
Glabridin (from Liquorice Root Extract)––+++++++++++
Silymarin (Milk Thistle)––+++++++++
Grading: Grading: +++ Strong action ++ Moderate action + Mild action – Not applicable – for Skin Ageing, Redness.