Sun damage facial: what it can do for dull, sun-damaged skin
Sun-damaged skin looks dull, rough and uneven, with spots, deeper lines and sometimes small red veins. The damage builds over years, and Brevard sun adds to it in every season. Have a dermatologist check any rough or changing spot first. For texture and glow, the studio options are the $225 Advanced Facial and the $125 Signature Facial.
Published · Written by Kay Woodson · Results vary.
What does sun damage look like?
Cleveland Clinic lists these signs of photoaging. Most people see several at once.
- Uneven color or uneven texture
- Lines around the eyes and mouth that grow in number and depth
- Loss of tone, as sun-exposed skin loses elasticity
- Thinning skin
- Spider veins on the nose, cheeks and neck
- Red, rough, scaly spots, which may be actinic keratoses (see below)
Why does the sun make skin look dull?
Two kinds of UV light do the work. Cleveland Clinic explains that UVA is mainly linked to long-term damage such as wrinkles, while UVB causes sunburn and most skin cancers. Over the years, that exposure breaks down the elastic fibers and collagen that keep skin smooth and springy, and the surface turns uneven.
The EPA rates daily UV on a scale from 1, low, to 11 or more, extreme. Cleveland Clinic advises avoiding peak hours, usually 10 am to 4 pm, and wearing broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen every day. On the Space Coast, that covers the drive along Wickham Road as much as a day at Melbourne Beach.
That rough patch might not be dryness
An actinic keratosis is a precancerous growth on skin badly damaged by the sun or tanning beds. The AAD says you can often feel one before you see it: a rough, scaly bump or patch that may itch, sting or bleed, often on the face, lips or neck. Left untreated, some turn into squamous cell carcinoma. In skin of color they can look like flat, scaly age spots. Have a board-certified dermatologist look at any patch like this before you exfoliate it.
Sun damage treatments compared
Cleveland Clinic notes that photodamage cannot be fully reversed, though treatment can help. Rows marked "not offered" are not available at Karisma.
| Option | What it does | Where and price |
|---|---|---|
| Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen, hat, shade | Stops new damage from piling on | At home |
| Retinoid creams | Help most with early signs of sun aging | At home, or by prescription |
| Signature Facial | Hydration and radiance, consultation included | Karisma, $125 |
| Advanced Facial | Microdermabrasion, hydrodermabrasion, Circadia SWiCH and a superficial peel for rough, dull, uneven skin | Karisma, $225 |
| Red light therapy | The Red Light Recovery Reset, LED red light that supports the look of a rested complexion. No medical claim | Karisma, $99 |
| Deeper chemical peels, laser resurfacing | Remove the damaged top layer; lasers also boost collagen | A dermatologist. Not offered |
| Photodynamic therapy, cryotherapy | Other dermatologist treatments Cleveland Clinic lists for sun damage | A dermatologist. Not offered |
Karisma prices from GlossGenius, October 2026.
A post-summer reset in Brevard
- 1Skin check firstBook a dermatologist if you have any new or changing spot, or a rough patch that does not go away. Cleveland Clinic also suggests a visit if you had blistering sunburns earlier in life.
- 2Then a facialOnce the summer heat eases, a Signature or Advanced facial works on the surface. Kay chooses between them at your first visit.
- 3Protect the resultExfoliation brings newer skin to the surface. Give it shade and sunscreen in the days after, and keep sunscreen as a year-round habit.
What Karisma offers for sun-damaged skin
There is no separate "sun damage facial" on the menu. The facial that matches what people mean by it is the Advanced Facial, $225 for about 90 minutes with Kay Woodson, because it is built for skin that looks dull, rough or uneven. If you are new to the studio or your skin reacts easily, the $125 Signature Facial starts gentler and includes a consultation. Every option is on the facials in Melbourne, FL page.
Brown spots are their own topic, with their own fading timeline: see hyperpigmentation and dark spots. Laser, IPL and photodynamic therapy are outside a Florida esthetician's license and not offered at Karisma.
Questions about sun-damaged skin
What is a sun damage facial?
A facial aimed at the look of sun-worn skin: exfoliation and active products for dullness, rough texture and uneven tone. At Karisma, that is the Advanced Facial at $225.
Can sun damage be reversed?
Not fully. Cleveland Clinic says treatments such as retinoids, peels and lasers can help the look of photodamaged skin, and daily sun protection keeps it from getting worse.
When is a good time of year for a sun damage facial in Florida?
Any month works if you protect your skin afterward. Booking once the strongest summer months are behind you simply means fewer hours of hard sun on newly exfoliated skin.
Should a dermatologist see my skin first?
Yes, if you have any rough, scaly patch, a spot that bleeds on its own, or a new or changing mole. Those need a diagnosis, not a facial.
- Sun-damaged skin, Cleveland Clinic, last updated October 28, 2022, checked October 29, 2026
- Actinic keratosis: Signs and symptoms, American Academy of Dermatology, checked October 29, 2026
- Actinic keratosis: Who gets and causes, American Academy of Dermatology, checked October 29, 2026
- Learn about the UV Index, US Environmental Protection Agency, last updated January 27, 2026, checked October 29, 2026
- Karisma Esthetics booking page and prices, GlossGenius, checked October 29, 2026