McKeown Medical
167 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4SQ
How Can I Fix Sun-Damaged Skin?
Published by Dr Darren McKeown
Date posted — 8.04.25
Sun exposure is an unavoidable part of daily life – and that’s not a bad thing. When the sun is out, we feel better and brighter about ourselves, so it’s no wonder lots of us crave the sun. But over time, the sun can take a significant toll on the skin. Sun damage, also known as photoaging, can cause premature wrinkles, pigmentation issues, and loss of skin elasticity. Many individuals who have spent years in the sun or using sunbeds may notice their skin appearing older than it should. The good news, however, is that we now have many options to treat sun damage, and our clinic has invested in some of the most sophisticated lasers in the world to do just that.
At McKeown Medical, we specialise in cutting-edge treatments to restore skin health and achieve natural-looking, rejuvenated results. If you’re concerned about sun-damaged skin, this guide will walk you through the signs of damage, risk factors, and the most effective treatments available.
What Does Sun Damage Look Like?
Sun damage can present in various ways, depending on the level of exposure and individual skin type.
Common signs include:
- Wrinkles and fine lines – Premature ageing due to the breakdown of collagen and elastin.
- Uneven pigmentation – Sunspots, freckles, and hyperpigmentation from excessive UV exposure.
- Redness and blotchiness – Often caused by broken capillaries or persistent inflammation.
- Loss of skin elasticity – UV rays degrade collagen, leading to sagging skin.
- Elastosis – where the UV rays cause the skin to produce an abnormal build-up of elastin fibres, resulting in a bumpy appearance
A key distinction is photoaging versus chronological ageing. While natural ageing occurs over time, photoaging is caused specifically by sun exposure and often leads to more pronounced wrinkles, pigmentation, and skin roughness—especially in areas most exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck, and hands. Learn more about the effects of sun damage here.
What Causes Sun Damage?
The main culprit behind sun damage is ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or artificial sources like sun beds. UV rays penetrate the skin and cause:
- DNA damage – Leading to mutations that accelerate ageing.
- Collagen breakdown – Weakening skin structure and resilience.
- Oxidative stress – Promoting inflammation and uneven skin tone.
Can sun damage be reversed?
Most sun damage can be corrected using laser treatments, although it depends on the severity of the damage. Whilst mild sun damage can be reversed by relatively gentle treatments, more severe damage will require more invasive options to get rid of it.
Who Is at Risk?
Anyone exposed to excessive UV radiation is at risk of developing sun damage, but some factors increase susceptibility:
- Fair skin tones – If you have light white skin, especially if you are fair or have red hair, your skin will be especially susceptible to the effects of sun damage.
- Outdoor occupations – If you work outdoors, prolonged exposure to the sun in everyday life increases risk.
- Sunbed users – Artificial UV exposure from sun beds dramatically accelerates the damage.
- Individuals who don’t use SPF regularly – Lack of sun protection speeds up photoaging.
Long-term sun exposure can also lead to more serious complications, such as actinic keratosis (pre-cancerous lesions) and an increased risk of skin cancer. This makes it essential to seek professional advice for skin concerns, especially if you notice any new spots or lesions appearing.
Treatment Options for Sun-Damaged Skin
At McKeown Medical, we offer advanced treatments tailored to individual skin concerns. Here’s how we can help restore your skin’s health and radiance:
BBL (BroadBand Light) Treatment
Best for: Pigmentation, redness, pores and overall skin tone.
BBL uses intense pulsed light (IPL) to target pigmentation and redness, stimulating collagen production and improving overall skin texture. This is an excellent choice for those looking to correct uneven skin tone without significant downtime. It’s an excellent tool for patients with mild sun damage or in combination with other treatments for more advanced sun damage. Learn more about BBL treatment here.
Halo Laser Treatment
Best for: Deeper pigmentation, fine lines, and sunspots.
Halo laser treatment combines ablative and non-ablative wavelengths to target skin damage at multiple depths. This results in a smoother complexion, reduced pigmentation, and improved collagen levels. You can expect 5 days of downtime after this treatment, during which you can expect your face to be red and puffy. Halo laser is particularly effective for individuals with more moderate to severe sun damage or patients with severe sun damage who do not want to commit to a more invasive option. Click here to find out more about this treatment.
Full Laser Resurfacing
Best for: Severe sun damage, wrinkles, and deep-set pigmentation.
For those with advanced signs of photoaging, especially with deep wrinkles and elastosis, full laser resurfacing offers dramatic skin rejuvenation. This treatment removes damaged outer layers of skin, promoting the growth of fresh, healthy tissue. While downtime is longer than other options – you will need two weeks off work – the results are transformative. Learn about full laser resurfacing here.
Sun damage may be inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. With the right treatment plan, you can restore a younger, healthier complexion. At McKeown Medical, we pride ourselves on delivering natural results that enhance your confidence.
Want to see real patient transformations? Check out our gallery for examples of our results.
If you’re ready to take the next step in reversing sun damage, book a consultation with our experts today. We’ll help you choose the best treatment plan for your skin.
Related Articles
1 / 2
2 / 2
Our reviews
What a lovely experience. I am delighted with my results. Much better than I expected. Dr McKeown is a genuine down to earth person and explained everything to me before my procedure. Thanks again. Would recommend this clinic to anyone looking for a cosmetic procedure. I intend to come back in a few months’ time for further treatment.
Rosemary Grant January 2024
The biggest mistake I see after weight loss? People choose a treatment before understanding what`s actually causing their loose skin.
Not all "loose skin" is the same, which is why the right treatment for one person can be completely wrong for another.
If you`ve lost weight and aren`t sure which option is right for you, the first step isn`t choosing a device. It`s getting the right diagnosis.
Looking for some advice? Send us a DM to get started.
The Quantum Lift!
We introduced this new technique only a few weeks ago and, well, it’s going even better than expected. This is one of our patients before and immediately after. I always warn my patients that I cannot give them a surgical facelift result with a procedure that doesn’t involve cutting but honestly, in this case, I think we got pretty close to a facelift result and closer than I was expecting.
First we remove some fat from under the chin and jawline before the quantum goes in to tighten the skin. I have included a picture of the neck after the we had removed fat from both sides, but only applied the quantum to her right side. You can see how much difference there is when I try to pinch the skin. In the non-treated skin I skin still pinch an inch (or two) but on the treated side there is very little to pinch, because the tissues have shrunk down so much.
The patient tolerated the procedure very well under simple local anaesthetic without sedation and we had a nice chat throughout. Afterwards she had a cup of tea and then went home with her husband half an hour later.
I have been very excited about The Quantum Lift for a while, but I’m only getting more excited the more I do. I really believe this is a massive step towards an effective way to rejuvenate the lower face and neck whilst avoiding traditional facelift scars.
Everyone knows we do lots of sophisticated facial work in the clinic. But did you know we also now do a lot of breast work too?
This is one of our patients who wanted breast augmentation. She specifically wanted more upper pole fullness so Kavita selected a 325cc high profile implant from Mentor, but placed them under the muscle to give a more natural take off. Mentor are considered the gold standard for breast implant quality and we only use their implants in the clinic.
The patient is just a few weeks post-op, so there is still a little bit of settling to go but she is already delighted with the shape and size. The key to breast surgery is listening to the patients concerns and then tailoring the procedure to get them the result they want - which is something the very fabulous Miss Kavita excels at.
What do you think?
The SMAS Facelift is back at McKeown Medical!�
Patients tell us all the time that they want to get rid of their jowls and facial sagging, but are hesitant about a lengthy surgical procedure or taking several weeks away from work and social commitments. The SMAS Facelift is an excellent alternative for patients who want meaningful improvement without the bigger commitment. �
It`s a technique that lifts and repositions the deeper tissues of the face while removing excess skin. Until Deep Plane became more popular in the last 10 years, SMAS was the gold standard. Compared with Deep Plane, it takes about 3 hours instead of 6-8, can be done under local anaesthetic, has a shorter recovery, and lower risk of nerve injury. For many patients with moderate facial ageing, it produces excellent, long-lasting results at £12,000, all performed by the phenomenal @bramhallplasticsurgery.�
This is one of our patients who had a SMAS Facelift with eyelid surgery five years ago. She`s maintained her results with HA fillers, like many of our surgical patients do, but otherwise her results are still going strong. That`s what SMAS can give you.
Every face ages differently and every patient has different circumstances. Some need the extensive correction of Deep Plane, especially if they have a heavy neck. Others are better suited to SMAS, particularly if you want a less invasive option with quicker recovery.
The right choice depends on your anatomy, your concerns, and your lifestyle. If you’d like to know more about the SMAS facelift, drop your questions in the comments or send us a DM!
So here she is! The one we’ve all been waiting for 😍 This is Lorraine 5 days after her Quantum lift. She’s still at home recovering because she had her body done too (more on that soon), so she’s not been back in the clinic for proper after photos yet. But she’s already delighted and sending the dreamteam these selfies from home. She’s obviously still very early and a bit swollen, but I think we can all see where this is heading already! I’m very excited for Lorraine… and for all of our lovely patients who are already booked for Quantum. This is a game changer for loose skin!
Thank you to this lovely patient for allowing us to share her upper blepharoplasty results, by the phenomenal @bramhallplasticsurgery .
This patient is 62 and came to us feeling self-conscious about the heaviness and puffiness of her upper eyelids. She`d found herself regularly raising her eyebrows just to lift the skin away from her eyes and had noticed a shadow appearing when she looked upwards and outwards, which was beginning to affect her peripheral vision.
Heavy upper eyelids can really knock people`s confidence, especially in social situations and in photos, and yet it`s one of the most straightforward areas to address.
The procedure itself takes around 45–60 minutes and is carried out while patients are awake under local anaesthetic. The scars sit within the natural crease of the eyelid, making them almost impossible to spot once healed
This is just 2.5 months post-surgery, and her scars are already settling beautifully. They`ll continue to fade over the next 12 months.
What do you think?
Yesterday was a big day in the clinic! We officially launched the game changing Quantum RF technology in the clinic. Quantum allows us to take liposuction to another level. We’ve got power assisted lipo which allows us to sculpt more, we’ve got ultrasound assisted lipo which allows us to melt the fat for more gentle removal. Now we’ve got quantum that allows us to follow this up with a treatment to shrink the skin down. It means patients who may previously have needed excisional surgery - like tummy tuck, or arm lift or thigh lift or even facelift - can be successfully treated without long scars. This is truly game changing technology and we are so excited to be the first in Scotland to introduce it. Can you guess who our first patient was? 👀
Here`s a wee update on this lovely patient who is now further along in her Regenerative Facelift journey.
We have combined Juläine PLLA and Sofwave ultrasound skin tightening, and you can see exactly what that pairing delivers: softer contours, improved structure, and a natural-looking result that`s still continuing to develop.
Juläine works by stimulating the body`s own collagen production, gradually restoring structure and support from within. Sofwave works alongside that by firming and lifting the skin at a deeper level. Together, they address the scaffold and the skin.
She`s looking fresher and is absolutely delighted. What do you think?
And if you`ve been thinking about a non-surgical approach to facial rejuvenation, what questions do you have? Drop them below.
Thank you to this lovely patient for allowing us to share her results!
The deep plane face and neck lift is one of the most technically challenging procedures in plastic surgery. It takes 6-8 hours of painstaking dissection to carefully release the retaining ligaments of the face so the face can be properly lifted and repositioned, rather than simply pulled tighter around the edges.
Few surgeons have the technical skill to pull this off - and we are very proud of @bramhallplasticsurgery for being one of them. It’s a challenging procedure to get right, but when the results are this good, it’s definitely worth it!
What do you think?
Join us on Instagram to keep up with the latest results and expert insights from the clinic team.
Our dedicated team of experts are on hand to help you as you navigate your journey with us.
When you first make contact with us you will be assigned your own personal Patient Relationship Manager. They’ll start by understanding your needs and liaising with our doctors to book you an appointment with the most suitable specialist. For any additional questions or needs, you can message or call them anytime and they’ll be delighted to assist you. Our entire team is dedicated to providing you with the best possible treatment and care tailored to your needs.
Sign up to our newsletter
Keep up to date with the latest news from McKeown Medical and get access to expert insights, our latest before and afters and exclusive offers.
