Sun damage is a pattern, not a singular problem. Fine lines and crepey texture, broken capillaries, persistent redness, mottled brown pigment, and loss of elasticity can all appear together, but they don’t respond to the same treatment in the same way.
Weber Facial Plastic Surgery approaches laser planning with the same discipline we bring to facial surgery: anatomy, precision, and restraint. Stephen Weber, MD, PhD, FACS, is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, University of Michigan fellowship-trained, and a National Physician Trainer—teaching injection technique and safety to other clinicians. That depth matters with lasers because the “best” laser is rarely a brand name, but the correct physics applied to your skin type, damage pattern, and tolerance for downtime.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the different types of sun damage, which lasers can treat it, and how we leverage this technology to provide fresh, bright skin.
What Kind of Sun Damage Is It?
Most sun-damaged skin is a blend of:
- Texture + wrinkles (solar elastosis, etched lines, roughness)
- Redness (diffuse erythema, broken vessels/telangiectasias, poikiloderma)
- Brown discoloration (freckling, sun spots/lentigines, uneven tone)
Different lasers (and light devices) “see” different targets:
- Water in the skin for resurfacing
- Hemoglobin for vascular redness
- Melanin for pigment
That’s why a custom protocol consistently outperforms one-size-fits-all.
Fractional CO2 For Severe Photoaging and Etched Wrinkles
If your sun damage is primarily characterized by deep wrinkles, a coarse texture, and significant actinic changes, ablative fractional CO2 is often the most transformative option.
Ablative fractional lasers create microscopic columns of controlled injury (“microthermal treatment zones”), leaving the surrounding skin intact to speed healing while driving meaningful collagen remodeling and resurfacing. This concept is rooted in fractional photothermolysis, which uses patterned thermal micro-injuries to trigger repair and remodeling over time.
Best For
- Deep wrinkles and etched lines
- Marked texture change/roughness
- Visible “leathery” photoaging
Tradeoff
More downtime than vascular/pigment-focused options
Pulsed Dye Laser (Vbeam) For Redness, Vessels, and Poikiloderma
Pulsed Dye Laser (PDL) devices emit visible light at 585–595 nm, targeting oxyhemoglobin in superficial blood vessels. DermNet notes these wavelengths and the vascular targeting profile that makes PDL a standard for many vascular concerns.
Best For
- Sun-induced broken vessels (telangiectasias)
- Diffuse facial redness / persistent erythema
- Poikiloderma patterns where redness is prominent
Why It’s a Favorite With Weber Facial Plastic Surgery Patients
- Precise vascular targeting
- Typically less downtime than with resurfacing-focused lasers
IPL When Redness and Browns Are Mixed
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) isn’t a single wavelength; it’s broad-spectrum light that can address both vascular and pigmented components when carefully selected and parameterized.
That “mixed target” capability is why IPL is commonly used:
- Before resurfacing (to calm redness and even tone)
- Between resurfacing sessions (to maintain clarity)
- Alongside vascular laser for broader coverage
IPL has published support for the treatment of poikiloderma of Civatte—an archetypal “red + brown” sun-damage pattern—where treatment aims to improve both components simultaneously (PubMed: IPL for poikiloderma of Civatte).
Best For
- Mixed redness + brown discoloration
- Broader tone blending (especially when pigment and vascular change coexist)
- Adjunct “polish” around a larger resurfacing plan
Skin Type and Downtime Should Influence Device Selection
The safest result is the one that respects melanin biology and healing risk. For example:
- Fitzpatrick IV–VI skin types generally do better with approaches that reduce thermal injury risk and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation—often non-ablative strategies and carefully chosen vascular devices
- Lighter skin types (often Fitzpatrick I–III) can be strong candidates for fractional CO2 when the goal is dramatic texture change
Think about it this way:
- CO2 (ablative fractional) causes a dramatic change, but more downtime
- Vbeam/IPL tone and redness improvement are typically associated with lighter downtime
- Combination protocols offer staged results with controlled recovery
Expected Results
Many patients notice early improvements in brightness and smoothness once healing is complete. However, fractional treatment concepts emphasize that controlled micro-injury triggers repair and remodeling over time, which is why results continue to evolve well beyond the first few weeks.
A realistic timeline looks like:
- Early Weeks: Surface healing, brighter tone, initial smoothing.
- 3–6 Months: Visible tightening, more even texture/tone as collagen matures.
- Up to 12 Months: Peak refinement in lines, texture, and overall “quality” of skin.
Custom Protocol Beats One-Size-Fits-All For Complex Sun Damage
Sun damage is layered, and layered problems do best with layered planning. A thoughtful combination—often something like Vbeam + IPL + fractional resurfacing, sequenced to your skin’s tolerance—can outperform any single device because it treats:
- Vessels (red)
- Pigment (brown)
- Collagen/texture (quality)
So, Which Laser Treatment is Best for Your Sun-Damaged Skin?
The best laser is the one that matches your specific damage pattern—wrinkles and texture, redness and vessels, pigment and uneven tone—and does it with a plan that respects your skin type, your tolerance for downtime, and your long-term goals.
At Weber Facial Plastic Surgery, your plan is built and performed with a facial-specialist mindset: medicine first, artistry always, and results that look like you, just clearer, smoother, and more refreshed.
Book a consultation today to receive a personalized recommendation tailored to your skin.
