Treatment Options
Sun Damage
We will help you get rid of your sun damaged skin so you can feel more confident and look your best.
Book a consultation with us today!
Before & After Gallery
Just like skin, results may vary. These pictures (of our awesome, real-life clients!) help you see what is possible and set a realistic expectation.
We’d love to get to know you, learn more about your goals, and see what treatment options would suit you best.
With One of Our Sun Damage Treatments You Can
Rediscover Your True Look at DermMedica
Released in 1984, Don Henley wrote in his Boys of Summer song, “I can see you. Your brown skin shining in the sun. You got that hair slicked back. And those Wayfarers on, baby.” What an incredible song that brings back fabulous memories, but also tells us where we received most of our sun exposure – during our youth. We have a wide variety of options to treat sun damaged skin these days and surgery isn’t always required and can usually be avoided in most cases. Let’s feel about our skin the way Don Henley felt in his song: “And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong. After the boys of summer have gone.”
Sun Damage and Your Skin
- Actinic Keratosis – a pre-cancerous growth on the skin (most common)
- Basal Cell Carcinoma – a skin growth that is the result of sun exposure, but one that will not spread beyond the skin
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma – a sun related skin cancer that can sometimes spread to other organs
- Malignant Melanoma – a very deadly skin cancer that must be removed immediately
- Lentigo Maligna – a pre-malignant lesion that should also be removed as it may become a melanoma one day
What Are the Symptoms of Sun Damage?
- Rough and dry skin lesions
- Patches or growths on the skin
- Localized growths
- Appearance on the face, scalp, back of the hands, chest, or other common sun-exposed areas
- Gray, pink, red, or flesh-colored discoloration
- Begins as flat and scaly evolving into a wart-like or rough surface
What Are the Causes of Sun Damage?
Actinic Keratosis is specifically caused by repeated sun exposure. Ultraviolet light damages the elastin (elastic) fibers in the skin leading to increased signs of aging and vulnerability to the effects of sun damaged skin. Common risk factors contributing to the expression of sun damage are:
- Having fair skin, blue or green eyes, or blond or red hair
- Long-term, daily sun exposure (for example, if you work outdoors)
- Multiple, severe sunburns early in life
- Older age
As a result, it is imperative to keep a strict regimen in terms of sun exposure throughout your life. Dr. Crippen recommends daily application of a UV-A and UV-B blocking sunscreen to help prevent the most common types of skin cancer.
Services & Treatments Offered
Related Treatments
Fellow of the American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery
Meet Dr. Craig Crippen
MD CCFP FCFP
Born and raised in Ottawa Ontario, Dr. Crippen has attended three Canadian universities and obtained four educational titles including his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.). Since graduating in 2001, Dr. Crippen has continued to expand his knowledge, focusing his practice in the fields of Medical Dermatology, Vein, Laser & Cosmetic Medicine.
After receiving his M.D. from the University of Western Ontario in 2001, Dr. Crippen then completed his specialty training in Family Medicine at the University of Manitoba over the next two years. He has worked extensively in public and private medicine since 2003, but in response to rising demand, Dr. Crippen has devoted his practice exclusively to both medical & cosmetic skin care procedures/treatments at his clinic.