A Guide to Treating and Preventing the Appearance of Age Spots

Age and sun spots are the result of increased pigmentation and while mild cases can go unnoticed, they can also become an unwelcome addition to your appearance.

Age spots tend to appear on parts of your skin that are most often exposed to the sun and can range from the size of small freckles to circles that are a centimetre or two in diameter.

Even though age spots are not a health risk, they aren’t attractive. Fortunately, there are ways to treat this common skin concerns. This is what you need to know.

Is It an Age Spot or a Mole?

While age spots and moles are both caused by sun exposure, they are not the same types of blemishes. Moles are raised skin blemishes that are brown or black in colour and can be the start of skin cancer, which speaks to the importance of having your moles checked regularly.

Age spots, on the other hand, are flat areas of pigmented cells that don’t pose a cancer risk. Along with sun exposure, skin colour, genetics and age can also determine how you are affected by age spots. Age spots are clumps of extra melanin and tend to appear after the age of 40.

Age Spot Treatment Options

Here are the age spot treatment options that are available to you.

Laser removal. Laser treatments gradually destroy the excess melanin that causes age spots but several sessions will be required to achieve the desired result. These Pico laser details will provide you with more information on what to expect.

Chemical Peel. To reduce the appearance of age spots, a chemical peel can be applied, which will gently remove the upper layer of the skin. Again, more than one treatment will probably be required to achieve the desired result.

Cryotherapy. This treatment uses controlled cooling to destroy the excess pigment in the skin. Unfortunately, it is also known to cause further discolouration and scarring.

Dermabrasion. Dermabrasion is also designed to remove the upper layer of the skin but in a slightly more painful way.

Over-the-counter medication. There are also several prescription treatments that can be used to gradually lighten age spots but patients tend to achieve mixed results so it would be difficult to determine how effective it would be for you until you try it for yourself.

Preventing Future Age Spots

Once you remove any existing age spots, the next step is to prevent them from reoccurring.

The best way to ensure your skin is protected from these types of blemishes is to limit your sun exposure and to wear a high-quality sunscreen with a high SPF. Sunscreen is one of the top anti-ageing products available today yet so few people use it on a daily basis.

If you don’t currently have any age spots, consider yourself lucky, but now would be the time to take steps to protect your skin from damage. Having a good home skincare regime is also a must for healthier, younger looking skin.