Dispatch · January 23, 2026 · 7 min · By Celestine Marlowe
Repairing long-term sun damage
Years of sun show up as spots, texture, and lines, and much of it is treatable.
Beyond acute burns, the more consequential story is photoaging, the cumulative damage that years of sun exposure etch into the skin as brown spots, rough texture, fine lines, broken vessels, and sallow tone. The encouraging news is that a great deal of visible sun damage is treatable.
The foundation is a topical routine that both repairs and protects: a retinoid to rebuild collagen and normalize cell turnover, antioxidants like vitamin C to neutralize ongoing damage and brighten, and above all daily broad-spectrum sunscreen, without which any other treatment is undermined. On top of that, in-office treatments target specific signs, pigment lasers and IPL for brown spots and redness, fractional resurfacing for texture and lines, chemical peels for tone. Often a combination over time produces the most natural rejuvenation.
The sequencing matters: treat the damage, then protect relentlessly so new damage does not accumulate. Patients sometimes expect a single laser to erase decades of sun; the realistic and achievable goal is meaningful, layered improvement maintained with sun protection. The skin has a real capacity to repair when supported and shielded, which is why even long-standing photoaging is worth addressing rather than accepting as permanent.
Related reading: Protecting children from sun damage.