Age spots are known by many names, such as sunspots, solar lentigines, freckles, and liver spots. No matter the name, their appearance is the same: they look like small, hyperpigmented spots over your face, shoulders, arms, and other areas of the body. Many people develop age spots as they grow older, especially those with fair skin. However, not everyone wants to deal with the effect these spots have on their appearance and self-esteem.
At Skin Deep Laser MD, serving Fort Worth, Weatherford, Benbrook, Burleson, Mansfield, Granbury, and Arlington, Texas, Dr. Laura Riehm offers professional age spot removal services. Removing age spots can make you look younger and improve your self-confidence, smoothing your appearance with minimally invasive procedures.
Why age spots occur
At first glance, age spots might appear like freckles. Both consist of concentrated melanin, but where freckles fade over time, age spots remain. The ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight cause our skin cells to produce more melanin, which leads to hyperpigmentation like freckles, tanning, and age spots.
Age spots are more common in older people with fair skin since they are more visibly affected by UV light over time. However, excessive sun exposure can lead to age spots in anyone, regardless of age or skin color. Treating age spots must be done carefully, or you could end up with lighted blotches on darker skin.
What you can do about age spots
There have been many popular solutions for age spots, from over-the-counter creams to home remedies like lemon juice and potatoes. However, the only true progress made in treating age spots has been made through professional treatments such as:
- Gentle, progressive chemical peels which gently remove the top layer of skin and fade blemishes like sunspots and small scars over time with careful application
- Laser therapy, such as PicoFOCUS®, aims concentrated beams of light on the skin to diminish age spots, scars, and wrinkles
- Photofacials like Icon MaxG™ target melanin and hemoglobin to get rid of both brown and red discoloration caused by rosacea, age spots, and melasma
You can also obtain prescription-strength topical creams from Dr. Riehm at Skin Deep Laser MD which help eliminate age spots on your face and other conspicuous areas while keeping your skin in the best of health.
If you’re not sure which treatment is best for you, don’t worry. It largely depends on your skin type, the source of your pigment, your budget and personal preferences, how many age spots you have, and what your doctor recommends. Some treatments might be more effective for one person than another, and there are multiple options for most patients.
To determine which treatment will benefit you the most, talk to a skin care professional at Skin Deep Laser MD to learn more about your options. Get in touch by calling 817-263-7546 or book an appointment online.
