Esthetician's Guide to Solar Elastosis

This condition appears in the ASCP SkinPro app

What is Solar Elastosis?

The cumulative breakdown of elastic fibers in the skin (collagen and elastin) from chronic overexposure to sun resulting in severely sagging skin, dynamic wrinkles, rough skin texture, and solar comedones. Smoking can also contribute to this type of skin damage.

What Should I Know About Solar Elastosis?

• Solar elastosis is characterized by sagging of the skin on the face, but this sagging can also be observed in any sun-damaged area of the skin. 

• Occurs as early as age 40. 
   
• Results in a yellowish, thickened appearance to the skin texture that has been compared to the skin of a lemon. This thickened appearance is ironically caused by an accumulation of abnormal elastin formed by the skin in an attempt to repair the badly damaged tissue.

Treatment Considerations for Solar Elastosis

• Use of glycolic and salicylic home care and in-clinic peels are the first consideration to improve this condition. 
   
• Home-care products with alpha hydroxy acids, retinoids, ceramides, antioxidants, and peptides are advisable. Microcurrent, microchanneling, and LED light treatments all can help but must be administered routinely.
   
• The sun damage that causes solar elastosis is deep in the dermis and is never completely correctable. • The appearance of the skin surface may be improved over time, but the client should be educated that results are not overnight and dedication to sun avoidance and daily use of broad-spectrum sunscreen, daily home care, and esthetic treatments are imperative to see any results. 
   
• It may take several months to see any improvement; before pictures are a good idea so the client can look back at their baseline photos to compare.
   
• This damaged skin should also be constantly observed for any symptoms that might indicate skin cancer potential and should be referred to the dermatologist if any signs are observed.

ASCP members can access SkinPro to continue reading about solar elastosis

Not yet an ASCP member? Join ASCP and get ASCP SkinPro, ASCP Career Toolkits, ASCP Skin Deep magazine, and the best esthetician liability insurance in the profession!

ASCP SkinPro

Included with ASCP membership, ASCP SkinPro is designed to aid in skin analysis by putting the essential knowledge of contraindications for common skin-related conditions and ingredients at your fingertips—now with 24 new conditions and 38 new ingredients. Members can log in for access or go directly to the app.

The ASCP team sourced information from a variety of clinical journals and worked with Dr. Mark Lees, author of Skin Care: Beyond the Basics and a longtime contributor to ASCP Skin Deep magazine, to bring it all together.

HOW DO ESTHETICIANS USE ASCP SKINPRO?

• During consultation: Your client mentions a condition or ingredient allergy during the intake process and want to contraindications.
• During skin analysis: You observe a skin condition and want to make a quick decision about the best treatment.
• While retailing: You’re about to recommend a product for your client, but you want to confirm the contraindications and ensure the product will perform as needed. 

Already an ASCP member? Take a few minutes to try ASCP SkinPro and discover your new go-to consultant!

Not yet an ASCP member? Join ASCP and get ASCP SkinPro, ASCP Career Toolkits, ASCP Skin Deep magazine, and the best professional liability insurance in the profession!