With summer coming in the back view, you may be ready to dive into everything. But there’s more to everyone’s favorite season than sweaters and the beauty of autumn. Once the temperature starts to cool, your skin may be ready to reset. Long days spent in the hot summer sun can be a blow to even the healthiest skin. While tuning your skincare routine is a good start, incorporating treatment (or two) has many more benefits. Below, we tapped four dermatologists to use the best treatments to revive and replenish post-summer sun damage.
Featured experts
Tina Ulster, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist in Washington, DC.
Why do I need to reset my skin after summer?
Naturally, changes in weather can cause changes in skin needs. However, there are other issues with the leap from summer to fall. The first is the sun exposure. Even though limiting exposure during the summer and protecting the skin with SPF, Washington, DC dermatologist Tina Earlster, MD, says the sun can still wreaked havoc when the season ends. “Most people get more UV exposure than desired over the summer,” she says. ND dermatologist Gilly Munavalli, ND Charlotte adds that after summer skin often has darker spots, exacerbating residual facial pigmentation. “This can lead to a dull, dry look with rough changes in texture.”
You can’t completely avoid the sun during the season, so placing your reset routine in place will help you restore your skin’s health and balance. “Repairing sun damage, replenishing hydration, clearing up crowds and strengthening skin barriers is all important to move in cooler, dry months,” says Roberta del Campo, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Dermatologists and Skin Laundry.
Office treatment to reset your skin after summer
DiamondGlow Facial
Diamondglow Facial is a unique treatment that resurfaces and exfoliates the skin while injecting beneficial ingredients. Use a diamond tip cane to buff the skin, remove any debris and extract impurities at the same time. Next, target issues like dullness, dehydration, and uneven textures to deliver professional grade serums directly to the source. It is also customizable and can be adjusted to your biggest concerns. Think of it as a one-stop shop to revive your skin. This treatment not only removes dead skin layers, but also replenishes them with the necessary serum and TLC to protect them from environmental stressors.
Fractional laser treatment
Laser is the go-to treatment to reduce evening tone and scars. In the tide, Dr. Ulster says it is beneficial to revive your skin after summer. “Fractional laser treatments like Fraxel and Ultraclear are great for reducing skin onset and stimulating collagen production,” she says. Essentially, they work to ameliorate the problems caused by sunlight damage by breaking down excess pigments and damaged cells. Once your summer tan starts to fade, she recommends giving your skin a clean slate refresh. Beyond the darkest areas of the evening, laser treatment can give you a rejuvenating look and refresh your skin.
Intense Pulsed Light Therapy
IPL is a different type of laser treatment, and has the same effect. “These treatments are ideal for minimizing downtime and removing accumulated pigment in the skin,” says Dr. Munavari. By using intense pulse light technology, the device deals with discoloration and relaxation. This is another common issue with exposure to sunlight.
Radio Frequency Processing
The effect of sun damage after summer is deeper than the surface. Fortunately, there are treatments that work to repair at the cellular level, such as resurfacing facials in skin laundry. Unlike regular facials, this treatment uses nanofraction radio frequency technology to jumpstart the repair process under the skin. “This technology begins a journey to rapidly penetrate heat into the skin, creating small, controlled wounds on the skin and repairing them,” says Dr. Del Campo. It also divides unhealthy pockets to stimulate the production of new collagen and fresh elastin, resulting in healthier skin.
Chemical skin
“A series of gentle surface chemical skins also help restore skin texture and glow after summer,” says Dr. Munabari. For busy skin, Dr. Del Campo recommends choosing a treatment that features acids such as glycol, iron, mandelic or lactic acid.
Reset your skin at home
A consistent skincare routine, coupled with a solid treatment plan, will make all the difference to your skin as the season moves on. However, it is important to assess your skin needs first. “Mild exfoliation with glycolic acid-based cleansers and restarting consistent use of vitamin C topics and retinoids is beneficial in helping to reset the skin,” says Dr. Munabari. The goal is to protect and repair. “Morning antioxidant serum and mineral sunscreen and retinol products are simple systems that keep your skin healthy and happy,” says Dr. Ulster.
