Also called “liver spots” and sun spots, age spots are flat, gray, brown or black spots. They vary in size and usually appear on the face, hands, shoulders and arms — areas most exposed to the sun. Age spots are very common in adults older than age 40; they can affect younger people as well.
True age spots are harmless and doesn’t need treatment, but they can look like suspicious growths. Age spots can be lightened with skin-bleaches or removed entirely. Avoiding the sun and using sunscreen can prevent you from developing those unsightly spots.
It may take years of sun exposure for these dark spots to occur — they develop very slowly over time.
Age Spot Treatment Options
In addition to sun exposure, simply growing older can cause age spots. Family history also plays a part in how likely you are to the develop age spots. If you’re unhappy with the appearance of age spots, treatments are available to lighten or remove them.
Age spot treatments include:
- Medications. Prescription bleaching creams or over-the-counter fade creams may slightly reduce the appearance of the age spots. Sun protection is strongly advised if you use medication treatments.
- Laser therapy. Laser therapy. Laser therapy destroys the dark pigment without damaging the skin’s surface. Treatments with the “yag laser” or Vbeam Perfecta laser with an added chemical called Levulan, typically require several sessions. After treatment, age spots fade gradually over several weeks or months.
- Freezing (cryotherapy). This procedure involves applying liquid nitrogen or another freezing agent to the age spots to destroy the darker pigment. As the area heals, the skin appears lighter. Freezing is typically used on a single or small group of age spots. Though effective, this procedure poses a slight risk of permanent scarring or discoloration.
- Fraxel Laser Treatment: delves beneath the skin’s deepest layers to reduce acne scars, boost collagen production, and repair deeper dermal levels. By delivering advanced waves of laser energy, Fraxel targets sun damaged and acne scarred skin, offering rejuvenation and resurfacing. The FDA-approved laser procedure stimulates cell renewal from the inside out and shows improvement of acne scars, creating smoother skin in just 3 to 4 sessions.
Do the dark spots on your hands and face make you feel embarrassed? As we grow older, dark spots, also known as sunspots or liver spots, are commonly found on the hands and face. However, some people can develop them earlier and/or in darker tones than others. When age spots develop, it can make people feel and look older. Fortunately, at Dermatology Institute of Southern California board certified Los Angeles dermatologist Dr. Daniel Behroozan and his dedicated team of skin-care specialists offer new technologies that effectively lighten or remove age spots.
Causes of Age Spots
Age spots vary in size and may appear anywhere on the face, hands, shoulders and arms, which are the areas of the body that are most frequently exposed to the sun. Age spots are the result of years of sun exposure and are also linked to the use of tanning beds. When significant sun damage occurs, the skin’s melanin’s production becomes uneven and can result in liver spots in certain places.
Treating Age Spots in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica
Our advanced procedures treat age spots leaving your skin smoother. We use several advanced lasers and light-based devices that remove age spots with optimal healing time. Many patients prefer the Alexandrite laser, which makes age spots disappear in just one treatment. Additional favorable, no downtime solutions for age spots are microdermabrasion or chemical peels. Both are relaxing and quick procedures that use professional-grade exfoliation to produce smoother, more evenly toned skin. Chemical peels work especially well to reduce age spots because they address the layer of skin directly impacted by sun-damage.
If you would like to target wrinkles, improve skin laxity and remove liver spots all at once, the Fraxel laser is just what you are looking for. Our Los Angeles dermatologists often perform Fractional Laser skin resurfacing treatments to fade scars, age spots and rejuvenate the skin with instant results. These treatments are performed on isolated areas to zap away age spots without harming the surrounding skin. Fraxel and the Fractional CO2 Laser fade blemishes, lines and creases created by sun exposure.
How a Fraxel laser Treatment Can Help Reduce Age Spots
Fraxel laser treatment is a non-invasive, microscopic laser therapy used to improve the appearance of the skin, including reducing age spots. This technology works by emitting thousands of tiny laser beams that penetrate the skin’s surface to remove old, damaged skin cells and stimulate the body’s natural healing process. The laser targets specific areas with precision, leaving surrounding tissues intact, which promotes rapid healing. As the treated area heals, the body produces new, healthy skin cells and increases collagen production, leading to smoother, fresher, and more youthful-looking skin. The process effectively diminishes age spots by breaking down the pigment in the spots and encouraging the skin to regenerate, replacing the blemished skin with a clearer, more even complexion.
A Healthy Skin Care Regimen
In addition to meeting with our expert Los Angeles dermatologist team to find out which treatment is best suited for your skin, the skin care line at Dermatology Institute of Southern California can help reduce signs of aging associated with sun damage. Our PM Retinol formula is fortified with Vitamin A, designed to minimize signs of aging and hydrate dull skin. We feature many products geared to help you maintain a youthful appearance.
Why Dermatology Institute of Southern California is the Best Choice
Call us today to book a consultation and begin a treatment plan personalized to you by our experienced dermatologists in Los Angeles, at both our Santa Monica and Beverly Hills locations. We can remove age spots and help ensure clearer skin, and a better outlook on life. Restore your skin and your confidence in just a few visits!
Beverly Hills
9090 Burton Way Beverly Hills,
CA 90211
(310) 392-1111
Santa Monica
2221 Lincoln Blvd, Suite 100
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 392-1111