You might call them sun spots when you’re younger or age spots as you get older, but dark spots are not always a welcome addition to your skin’s appearance. Fortunately, there are many treatment options for age spots. They can be divided into 2 categories, either creams or procedures. Procedures such as laser treatments and chemical peels tend to work faster than other options.
These are Our Favorite Sun Spot Removal Treatments
BBL HERO
The Sciton BBL system uses BroadBand Light (BBL) and is one of the world’s most powerful IPL (Intense Pulse Light technology) devices on the market. Dr. Hernandez uses a tool that allows her to choose a range of wavelengths for targeted treatment of many skin conditions.
The Sciton BBL delivers gentle concentrations of light directly to the affected areas of the skin. The concentrated light energy delivered by the BBL gently heats the upper layers of the skin. The heat absorbed by the targeted areas stimulates the skin cells to reproduce and regenerate. As fresh new skin cells appear, they will fade the clusters of sun spots.
BBL HERO can improve the appearance of age spots very effectively in just 1 to 3 treatments for most patients, although some patients require 4 or 5 treatments.
Chemical peels
We can use chemical peels to treat dark spots. However, it usually requires a series of 6 or more treatments and patients typically can expect to have flaky skin for 3 or 4 days.
Microdermabrasion
Diamond-tip microdermabrasion exfoliates the skin, so it can rejuvenate the surface as well as smooth away age spots. This can be especially effective for patients who are also undergoing a series of chemical peels. Microdermabrasion for sun spots is typically performed every 2 weeks for an average of 4 months.
Prescription-strength creams
Medical grade skin products are another option, especially for patients who aren’t ready to commit to other more intensive treatment options. However, they require discipline. To see results, patients must apply the prescription-strength cream once or twice a day for a period of weeks or even months.
Our Dr. Elizabeth Hernandez says using a combination of these treatments seems to work faster and more effectively for most patients. The fastest, most effective way to treat age spots, she says, is to use a prescription-strength cream for 6 weeks to start fading the spots and get the skin ready, followed by BBL photofacial treatment to finish removing the age spots that remain.
Spot Removal, Just in Time for Summer
The best “treatment” is prevention, so remember to always, always wear sunscreen when you’re going outdoors. Even when it’s cloudy outside, those damaging UV rays can sneak through and wreak havoc on your skin.
And if you already have dark spots from sun or aging that you’d like to get rid of, the sooner you schedule a personal consultation the sooner you can start seeing the uniform skin tone and texture you desire.
