Summer is Almost Here: The Dangers of Treating Suntanned Skin

Summertime is almost here, and many of your clients will become sun worshipers, seeking a rich, dark tan.  Some of these clients will also seek treatments such as microdermabrasion or chemical peels during this time period, and there is potential danger to the client here that should be addressed.

Microdermabrasion was one of the top five aesthetic procedures performed in the US in 2005, with almost 150,000 microdermabrasion procedures performed.  This is an increase of more than 25% from just two years earlier.  Since its introduction in American markets in the 1990’s microdermabrasion has gained in popularity.  Chemical peels also have grown in usage by clients who wish to improve their appearance.

Both of these procedures also remove the outer layers of skin.  Suntanned skin has the tan because it has become damaged by the sun, and taken on darker pigmentation to provide a layer of protection for the skin beneath.  While it might be hard to realize that the nice looking tan you see is the result of damage, it is the body’s way of protecting itself from too much sun exposure.

Sun Exposure Can Create Problems for Aestheticians and Medical Spa Clinicians

Ultra violet radiation from the sun, the same agent that causes painful sun burns, causes tanning as well. Removing this layer of skin will expose inner skin layers, and if the client continues intense sun exposure it will become tanned, or burned, or otherwise damaged as well.  The more pigmentation the skin contains, the greater the danger to the client from microdermabrasion and from chemical peels, both procedures that under normal circumstances and professional supervision would have no, or minimal danger.  Remember that clients with darker skin pigmentation occurring naturally due to ethnic considerations are counseled to avoid chemical peels or to use only the lightest of chemical agents.  Suntanned skin places all clients into this category.

Results of microdermabrasion or chemical peels to clients who have dark, deep suntans can be uneven skin pigmentation, giving the client the exact opposite result from what they were after. Experts agree that both microdermabrasion and chemical peels can, under the proper circumstances, improve the skin’s appearance, and as a result improve the client’s self-esteem.  But, when clients are sunbathing and intentionally getting suntans, the professional and prudent advice to give them is to avoid microdermabrasion and chemical peels.  They should wait until the fall when tanning season is over, and the safety factor returns.