Have you started to notice the appearance of flat, discolored spots on your skin? Dark patches of pigmentation, commonly known as age spots, are typically found on the face, shoulders, back of hands, forearms, upper back, and tops of your feet.
These spots are the same texture as the rest of your skin, are painless, and cause no physical danger. They usually begin to develop around your 40th birthday and increase in frequency and severity as you age.
Causes of Age Spots
When the skin is exposed to harmful UV rays, it creates pigmentation to absorb the light and protect the body. As we age, skin regeneration slows. This means that the pigmentation has a greater opportunity to build up and create brown, black, or gray spots on the surface of the skin. No matter how much effort you put into fighting the effects of aging, these spots are a sure way to tell that the years are catching up with you.
Preventing Age Spots
The best age spot treatment is to avoid getting them in the first place. Try to stay out of direct sunlight when possible and be sure to wear protective clothing or sunscreen when engaging in outdoor activities. It’s important to note that sunscreen is not just for the beach or poolside. You are exposed to UV rays every time you step outside, even if you are just driving to work or running to the mailbox. Try to choose a sunscreen that is lightweight and has an unobtrusive scent so that you will not hesitate to wear it every day.
Treating Age Spots
While there are many myths about age spot treatment, there are really no home remedies that will remove them once they have occurred. However, there are a variety of treatments and procedures that can either remove or reduce the appearance of age spots.
Hydrafacials
Hydrafacials are a non-invasive, effective, and budget-friendly way to improve the appearance of age spots. During this quick 30-minute treatment, we take a series of steps to clean your pores, extract impurities, exfoliate away debris, and hydrate your skin. You’ll also have the option to choose a serum, such as ZO Brightalive, which is specifically crafted to reduce the appearance of age spots.
Hydrafacials have several other benefits in addition to reducing age spots. They can diminish wrinkles, firm and tone your skin, even your complexion by reducing redness, and so much more!
Laser Resurfacing
At ACPS, we offer several different laser resurfacing treatments.
Vivace is a common choice and uses an intelligent radiofrequency (RF) microneedling device to deliver effective, yet comfortable, laser skin treatment. As a result, no anesthesia is needed, although topical anesthetic and oral medications are available to maximize your comfort.
Forever Young BBL is a broadband light that delivers short pulses of high-intensity light energy. This heats the upper layers of skin, promoting collagen production, effectively treating fine lines and wrinkles, excess pigmentation, uneven skin texture, and redness.
Chemical Peels
Another option to treat age spots is through a chemical peel. This can be used to effectively treat spots on your face, neck, chest, and hands. We recommend two chemical peels; the VI Peel for Skin Damage or the Obagi Blue Peel. Both treatments resolve a wide range of skin problems and have similar effects. However, there is a difference.
The Obagi Blue Peel is not sold to individuals, but only to licensed skin-therapy companies to ensure the treatment is carried out by trained professionals since the chemicals need to be applied in a certain proportion as decided by the professional after examining the client's skin condition. It can be the more expensive treatment since it often requires multiple sessions.
On the other hand, the VI Peel is often the cheaper option. It is virtually painless, and, unlike with the blue peel, you don't need to undergo any pre-conditioning rituals which prolong the duration of a session. The VI Peel also works well with other treatment options like lasers and injectables.
Whichever treatment you choose, it should be administered by a skin care professional. Put your trust in the hands of our experienced, all-female staff at the Advanced Center for Plastic Surgery. Contact us today to learn more and begin restoring your skin under the guidance of experts!
