How to Prevent Summer Skin Spots ・ Director Im I-seok Appears on SBS Good Morning

Provider: Im I-seok Thema Dermatology Clinic

Hello.

This is Im I-seok Thema Dermatology.

Spotless porcelain skin that everyone wants, regardless of age or gender, is also an important element of youthful skin.

As sunlight becomes stronger and concerns about blemishes increase, CEO Director Im I-seok appeared on SBS Good Morning to talk about how to prevent and manage summer skin spots.

We will explain the factors that Director Im I-seok says lead to looking older, and the methods for maintaining youthful skin.

The Importance of Sun Protection

The most important thing for creating clear skin is blocking ultraviolet rays. When exposed to UV rays, collagen in our body denatures, which reduces skin elasticity and, in severe cases, can even lead to skin cancer.

Blocking UV rays, which make the skin rough and cause blood vessels to dilate and the skin to turn red, is an essential condition for clear, bright, youthful skin.

Skin is affected much more by how it is cared for than by what you are born with. If you start consistent care from your 20s, such as blocking UV rays, it can have a positive effect on maintaining youthful skin.

Three Major Skin Concerns That Make You Look Older

Nasolabial folds: Wrinkles that form in an “八” shape on both sides of the mouth. They can be caused by genetic factors because of the way the bones sit, or they can form as the cheek fat sags, or due to the habit of smiling.

To prevent nasolabial folds in daily life, it is important to correct your sleeping posture.

If you tend to sleep on your side, the wrinkles keep folding and can cause nasolabial folds. Also, repeatedly clenching your mouth tightly in daily life can make them worse, so it is good to move the muscles around the mouth often. Deep nasolabial folds leave a line behind, so they cannot be removed by any procedure; therefore, it is better to change your daily habits.

Cheek sagging: Cheek sagging, which begins in your 40s and 50s, appears as facial muscles decrease, lose elasticity, and droop.

Sagging cheeks are a sign of aging. To prevent this, it is good to strengthen facial muscles. Repeatedly puffing air into both cheeks and building facial muscles helps prevent cheek sagging.

Skin spots: Age spots, melasma, freckles, and the like are all called skin spots. They are characterized by gradually becoming darker and more numerous. To prevent them, using a parasol or hat even for short outings helps prevent skin spots. Once they appear, it is difficult for them to go away naturally, so it is best to make an effort to block UV rays starting in your 20s.

A Cause of Skin Aging: Makeup

Heavy makeup can irritate the skin, so rather than focusing on applying makeup, it is better to remove it carefully and thoroughly. However, if you cleanse too strongly, you put excessive force on the skin, which can cause wrinkles, and if you do not remove it properly and residue remains, it can cause breakouts.

Dirty makeup tools can also irritate the skin, so caution is needed. A representative tool that can cause skin trouble is a makeup puff. Inside a puff that has been used for makeup, sweat, oil, dead skin cells, and demodex waste are repeatedly applied to the face, which is essentially the same as layering them on the skin again and again. If residue remains inside the makeup puff, mold can grow and bacteria can multiply, accelerating aging. Pointed makeup brushes also cause a lot of irritation to the skin, increasing the likelihood of breakouts.

Washing makeup tools once a week before using them helps prevent aging.

How to Reduce Skin Spots

Freckles may naturally fade with age, and in some cases melasma disappears as estrogen decreases. But in general, skin spots are not easy to get rid of, so prevention with UV protection and skin moisturizing is best.

Ice pack + hand towel: Rather than the idea of removing spots, prevention is more important. In summer, when the sunlight is strong, severe cases can even result in first-degree burns. Skin heat is one of the major causes of spots, so quickly lowering the skin’s temperature with an ice pack is good for preventing them. However, when using an ice pack, it is best to use one filled with water rather than dry ice, and to wrap the ice pack in a hand towel so it does not touch the skin directly.

Potato pack: Potatoes contain a lot of vitamin C, which can help with UV protection, and using aloe vera, which contains a high amount of saponins, together can help reduce heat.

UV protection is key to preventing skin spots

UV A, the skin’s greatest enemy, penetrates deep into the skin, causing collagen denaturation and accelerating skin aging.

Because UV A penetrates deeply, it can even pass through windows, so it is a good idea to use sunscreen indoors as well.

It is best to apply sunscreen consistently from childhood. Among many sunscreens, a tip for choosing one that prevents skin aging is to check the numbers and the plus signs.

The number is the SPF B protection index, and the + sign is the index that blocks UV A. Apply an amount about the size of a 500-won coin, then carefully spread it over the face, neck, and back of the neck, and reapply every 2–3 hours.

However, before using it, it is good to test whether it is suitable for your skin type. Careology’s Three Active Defense Sunscreen is an effective sun care product with SPF 50+ and PA++++ that blocks both UV B and UV A.

Skin Spot Treatment Solutions

Excel V: A laser that treats skin lesions with three laser modes

Revlite SI: A uniform laser beam delivers high-output energy to treat pigmentation without damaging surrounding skin

PlaDuo: Improves acne, melasma, and redness with N-toning and R-toning

Excel V is a laser that cares for not only melasma and spots, but also age spots, redness, and vascular conditions, making it a good choice when there are multiple skin concerns. It resolves spots on the skin by using multiple modes in combination.

Revlite SI is a laser that selectively destroys only melanin pigment in the epidermis and dermis without damaging surrounding tissue, by delivering a uniform laser beam with high-output energy in short, sequential pulses. It is effective for treating various pigmented lesions such as melasma, pigmentation, and vascular conditions.

PlaDuo is a laser that can treat skin conditions with reduced pain through R-toning using argon and N-toning using nitrogen.

It helps improve skin transparency by treating acne as well as vascular conditions such as melasma and redness. It also promotes skin regeneration, improving skin texture, fine wrinkles, pores, and elasticity, helping the skin become healthy, clear, and youthful.

If you have any further questions about facial melasma and skin spots, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Im I-seok Thema Dermatology Clinic will always accompany our patients.