Our summer holidays can take its toll on our skin.  Anyone who has been badly burnt can agree to the pain and discomfort that a day of unprotected sun exposure can cause.  However, the sun's rays can also cause long term damage that's not immediately evident, such as ageing, wrinkles, pigmentation as well as skin cancer.  Dr Rippon believes that whether you are at home in the UK or abroad the public need to be aware of skin health. https://www.ripponmedicalservices.co.uk/index.php/sun-damage-spots-women

The most important factor to skin health is a good sunshield; this can be applied half an hour before sun exposure to allow time for the skin to absorb it.  Its important to reapply throughout the day; around every two hours or immediately after swimming.  There are plenty of products on the market to choose from.

Whatever your skin type, you should wear a minimum of SPF 30.  Choose one that is water resistant, with the UVA symbol.

It is important to remember that sunscreen will never provide complete protection.  Other steps to skin health would be to wear sunglasses, a hat and seek shade especially during the hottest times of the day (which is normally between 11am-3pm) when the sun is at its strongest and can do the most damage.

The sun omits three types of radiation, known as UVA, UVB and UVC.  UVC radiation is blocked by the ozone layer so only UVA and UVB rays reach the earth.  UVB rays reach the outer layer of the skin and can cause burning and contribute to skin cancer.  UVA rays can penetrate the middle layer of your skin.  In addition to causing skin burning and contributing to cancer, these rays can cause the skin to age and produce wrinkles.

UVB rays can usually be filtered out by glass, but not UVA therefore it is important to wear your sunshield if you sit close to a window for long periods or travel by car. 

Dr Rippon reassures his patients that they will make enough Vitamin D in their daily lives if they have about 15-20 minutes of sun exposure per day; Vitamin D can also be found in foods including milk, oily fish, egg yolk and fortified cereal.

It can be tempting to try to give your tan a head start before you jet off on holiday, but statistics show that using sun beds can seriously damage the skin.  Using a sunbed before the age of 35 increases the risk of melanoma by 59% and regular sunbed use under the age of 30 increases the risk of skin cancer by 75%.  Sun bed use is thought to be a contributory factor to the rise of malignant melanoma amongst women in their twenties, so it's not worth putting your health at risk.

Dr Rippon advises his patients to check for early signs of melanoma, which is a skin cancer that can spread to other parts of the body.  The most common sign is the appearance of a new mole or a change in the existing mole, and a melanoma may also itch, bleed or have an irregular shape.  If you are worried about any of your moles Dr Rippon would recommend booking an appointment with your GP immediately to get checked out.  

Dr Rippon carries out non suspicious mole and skin lesion removal procedures at his registered medical clinic in Carlisle where he provides safety netting by sending off all removed moles to our private histology service. 

WHY SHOULD I HAVE TREATMENT WITH RIPPON MEDICAL SERVICES?

1. ADVANCED AESTHETIC MEDICAL DOCTOR: You will be treated by one of CUMBRIA'S leading AESTHETIC doctors who is highly experienced and specialist trained in delivering of Medical Aesthetics and Minor Surgery.

2. SERVICE & CARE: We pride ourselves on patient care and experience, therefore, you can be ensured that your visit and treatment is as informative, comfortable and professional as possible.

3. AFTER CARE POLICY Our aftercare policy ensures our patients receive the best care following their treatment.

4. CLINIC LOCATION: The treatment is carried out at our clinic on Fisher Street, in the historical part of Carlisle, with Carlisle Castle and Cathedral close by. We are situated opposite a public carpark and 5 mins walk away from Carlisle Bus and Train Stations.

5. HIGH PATIENT SATISFACTION: Our patients are very happy with their results resulting in many returning to have additional areas. We also have many that recommend friends and family to the clinic

6. PREMIUM MEDICATION: We use only premium and FDA approved products for the treatment.

7. PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AUTHORITY We are an approved and regulated clinic, via Safe Face and the profession standards authority, this ensures that we carry out high standard treatments, hygiene and care to our patients. Telephone 01228 791447 or 07787541689 to book your consultation.