Treatment Options for Age Spots – Expert Solutions from a Dermatologist

Learn How You Can Get Rid of Age Spots

Many individuals seek treatment for age spots, also known as sun spots or liver spots, due to the unappealing nature of these skin discolorations.  An age spot is a brown, flat and hyper-pigmented area of skin that often originates when a skin cell has collected too much melanin, the pigment in your skin. Melanin is particularly sensitive to light, so these spots often become larger and more apparent over time with sun exposure. So, what are some expert solutions for getting rid of these hyper-pigmented cells?

Dermatologists can perform four primary procedures to eliminate age spots on your skin.  The procedures include laser treatment, cryotherapy, microdermabrasion, and chemical peel.  Generally, these procedures are for cosmetic purposes, so your insurance most likely will not cover the expense.  However, these treatments are fairly affordable for the average individual with age spots.  All of these procedures may involve one or multiple skin treatments depending on the severity of your age spots.  Individuals usually experience little down time and are able to return to their daily routine almost immediately.

• Laser therapy is a type of dermatological treatment that diminishes the clusters of melanin collected underneath your skin.  The light from the laser targets the melanocytes, and after absorption of the energy, the cells that make up the age spot peel off revealing an evenly-colored skin surface after healing.  Laser treatment poses few adverse side effects and allows the hyper-pigmented skin to fade over the following weeks. This procedure is often considered the “treatment of choice” for age spots.
• Cryotherapy is another type of treatment for age spots that involves freezing the discolored areas to destroy the melanin clusters gathered underneath the skin. During cryotherapy, a freezing agent, such as liquid nitrogen, is applied by a dermatologist via a spraying or swabbing method to the region of discoloration on the skin.  When the skin begins to heal, a lighter skin tone is revealed, which eventually blends back in with your natural color. The treatment process has to be carried out taking care to avoid overtreatment which could replace the brown age spot with a white spot  in its place.
• A microdermabrasion treatment removes the surface of the skin with a rotating brush and tiny grains. The procedure is similar to sanding or buffing away the outer layer of skin. When the surface layer is removed, the hyper-pigmented areas are gradually eliminated and new skin emerges on the surface. To see the final results from this procedure requires a series of treatments over a period of several months.  Rarely, some scabbing may appear as a side effect of the rotating brush.
• A chemical peel may help remove age spots by applying certain types of acids to the skin, such as alpha hydroxy acid, beta hydroxy acid or trichloroacetic acid. The outer layer of the skin peels away, leaving a new layer of surface skin.  Some irritation and sun sensitivity may result from this procedure.  Additionally, this procedure can also diminish the appearances of wrinkles and reveals a smoother skin surface.

In summary, these four age spot treatments are procedures conducted by your dermatologist to remove or fade discolorations from the surface of your skin.  While the treatments can be highly effective, it is important to protect the skin from excessive direct sun exposure or the process that caused the spots to appear will happen all over again. The type of treatment selected depends upon the number and location of the age spots.  Talk to your local dermatologist to determine which treatment is best for you.