SKIN SCIENCE

That initial yen for a pretty glow ends with uneven skin tone, dark patches, wrinkles, freckles and enlarged pores, not to mention increased sagging. Chemical exfoliation and laser resurfacing can vastly improve the look of sun-damaged skin – face, neck, décolleté and hands – but leaves it more photosensitive. To maintain results, use a broadspectrum SPF that protects against both UVA and UVB rays daily and limit your sun time, especially between 10 and 2. Upside: you get to wear that glamorous wide-brimmed hat, like the Tilley shown here.

GLYCOLIC ACID PEELS

Ouch factor Minimal; light itching sensation

Maintenance Every four to six weeks is recommended.

Why it’s worth it Reduces fine lines while lightening age spots, freckles and dark patches.

LASERS

Ouch factor Moderate; depends on skin sensitivity and laser strength. Numbing cream available.

Maintenance A cycle of three or four is recommended to begin with followed by bi-monthly treatments, though even one is effective.

Why it’s worth it Very good for evening skin tone with the added bonus

of reducing pore size while you’re at it. Intense Light Therapy (IPL) is the classic sun damage reversal laser. Post-treatment, dark patches and sun freckles darken and flake off over a week, revealing refreshed, even skin tone with tightened pores. The next level up is the two-yearold Fractora, which delivers radio frequency (RF) energy deep into the tissue (lifting, tightening, wrinkle battling) with the laser head’s grid of micro needles puncturing skin. On some parts of the face, this feels like a staple gun so the good news is that, recently, the needles have been coated in silicone, which significantly decreases the pain factor. Note: lasers are usually not recommended for dark skin – African Canadian or Indian – which can suffer post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). But the new Skintel Melanin Reader, which scans skin for the exact level of melanin and helps determine the energy level of the laser accordingly, is safe for all pigments.

FILLERS

Ouch factor Moderate; numbing cream available.

Maintenance Refill, every four to six months.

Why it’s worth it Plumping out deep wrinkles with injections of hyaluronic acid (the space-filling, cushioning, hydrating agent in Juvederm and Restylane) vastly reduces their appearance.

SPREADS Ouch factor None Maintenance Monthly Why it’s worth it A new and painless “needle-free injectable” procedure that triggers skin to produce more collagen, which lifts and tightens, reducing wrinkles and large pores. Using the same gel-like molecule as fillers,

EnerJet inserts hyaluronic acid into the skin via a diffusing, high-pressure jet. Not yet widely available, this latest in beauty tech is at SpaMedica in Toronto and Vancouver.

TOPICAL CREAMS

Ouch level Zero, light tingling.

Maintenance Nightly

Why it’s worth it The easiest, least costly way to reduce the appearance of sun-damage is to apply a good acid cream every night (and a good SPF every morning). Gauge the intensity your skin requires: low-level glycolic for thinner, more delicate skin to higher strengths for oilier, thicker, less sensitive skin. Products to look for include: Neostrata All-in-One Night Serum and Strivectin Advanced Retinol Night Treatment.