Sun Damage Treatment
Years of sunlight leave a record on the skin: brown spots, blotchy tone, rough patches, broken vessels, fine lines, and skin that looks thinner and more leathery than it should. In Southern California, where sun exposure is year-round, these changes often appear earlier than people expect. Patients from Beverly Hills, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, and across Los Angeles come to Parsa M.D. to improve the visible effects of sun damage and, just as importantly, to make sure nothing more serious is hiding among the spots.
The most important consequence of sun damage is not cosmetic. It is skin cancer, and the eyelids are a common site for it. Dr. Kami Parsa lectures on Eyelid Malignancies: Evaluation and Management and on Total Eyelid Reconstruction, and his research during training included developing an animal model for adenoid cystic carcinoma at the USC Department of Ophthalmology. He is an oculoplastic and reconstructive surgeon and an Adjunct Clinical Professor at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
“Before I treat any sunspot, I want to be sure it is only a sunspot. A lesion on the eyelid that looks like age spotting can be a skin cancer, and lasering it would only delay the diagnosis.” — Dr. Kami Parsa
Signs of Sun Damage
Sun damage, also called photoaging, shows up in several ways:
- Sunspots: Flat brown spots on the face, hands, and chest, also called solar lentigines or age spots.
- Uneven tone and texture: Blotchy pigment, dullness, and rough, leathery skin.
- Fine lines and laxity: Ultraviolet light breaks down collagen and elastin, accelerating wrinkles and sagging, covered on our Skin Laxity page.
- Visible vessels and redness: Dilated vessels on the cheeks and nose, covered on our Spider Veins page.
- Actinic keratoses: Rough, scaly patches that feel like sandpaper and are considered precancerous, so they need medical evaluation and treatment.
Sun Damage and Skin Cancer
Sun exposure is the leading cause of the most common skin cancers, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. The eyelids and the skin around them are frequent sites for basal cell carcinoma. See a physician for evaluation of any spot that is new, growing, changing in color or shape, irregular in border, bleeding, crusting, or slow to heal, and for any eyelid bump that causes eyelash loss or distorts the lid margin. Suspicious lesions are evaluated and, when needed, biopsied before any cosmetic treatment. For eyelid cancers that require removal, our Eyelid Reconstruction page explains how the eyelid is repaired afterward.
How Sun Damage Is Evaluated
Dr. Parsa or a licensed member of his clinical team will review your sun history, skin type, prior treatments, and any spots that concern you, and examine the face, eyelids, neck, chest, and hands. Imaging with the VISIA® skin analysis system can document sun damage that is not yet visible to the eye and help track improvement over time. Team members are described on our Our Providers page.
Sun Damage Treatment Options in Beverly Hills
Treatment is matched to the type and depth of damage. Each linked page explains the treatment in detail:
- Brown spots and redness: Lumecca IPL treats sunspots and diffuse redness in lighter and medium skin tones, and the 532 Laser targets individual spots and vessels.
- Tone and texture: Clear + Brilliant and chemical peels refresh early sun damage with little downtime.
- Moderate to advanced damage: CO2 Skin Resurfacing and the Duplex® Procedure address deeper texture, lines, and laxity.
Our Skin Resurfacing page compares these options by depth and downtime. Improvement is gradual over one or more sessions, and sun damage can be reduced considerably but not fully reversed.
Protecting Your Skin
Prevention matters more than any treatment. Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher every day and reapply during extended time outdoors. Wear a wide brimmed hat, UV-blocking sunglasses, and sun protective clothing, which is rated by UPF. Avoid midday sun when possible, and avoid tanning beds entirely. After any laser, light, or peel treatment, treated skin is more sensitive and needs strict protection while it heals.
Risks and When to Seek Care
Laser, light, and peel treatments can cause temporary redness, swelling, darkening of spots before they flake, and peeling. Less common risks include blistering, infection, pigment changes, and scarring. Contact the office for blistering, signs of infection, or any change in vision after treatment near the eyes.
Why Choose Dr. Parsa for Sun Damage Treatment
- Cancer Before Cosmetics: His experience with eyelid malignancies and Mohs reconstruction means suspicious spots are identified before any cosmetic treatment.
- Fellowship Training: He completed his fellowship in oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.
- Full Range of Options: IPL, lasers, peels, and resurfacing are available, matched to your skin type and damage.
- Founder and Medical Director: He founded Parsa M.D. and oversees the protocols used in its medical spa.
- More Than 20 Years of Experience: Two decades of clinical practice guide safe, realistic treatment plans.
Schedule a Sun Damage Consultation in Beverly Hills
Your consultation takes place at our office at 465 N Roxbury Dr, Suite 1011, in Beverly Hills. Dr. Parsa and his team will examine your skin, flag anything that needs medical attention, and recommend a plan to improve sun damage and protect your results. Contact our office to request an appointment.
Medically reviewed by Kambiz K. Parsa, M.D. on
