What Are the Treatments for Age Spots?
Age spots (also known as solar lentigo and liver spots) are dark-colored or brown spots on the skin caused by prolonged sun exposure over a long period of time. These spots typically occur in people who are 55 years or older and affect the hands, face, arms, back, feet and shoulders. Age spots are a major skin concern that drives people across the world to seek out clinical and spa types of treatment. Does this Spark an idea?
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Medications
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Mild steroids combined with prescription-strength bleaching creams can fade age spots over a period of several months.
Laser Therapy
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Laser treatments work by destroying the melanocytes that are responsible for dark pigments. They cause no real damage to the skin, but the process is expensive.
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Chemical Peel
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Over the course of several treatments, chemical peels can effectively fade age spots. The process uses an acid on the skin to lightly burn away the outer layers.
Dermabrasion
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Dermabrasion sands away the skin's surface with a rotating brush and makes way for new skin to grow that has no spots.
Cryotherapy
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The cryotherapy (freezing) process uses liquid nitrogen or other freezing agents applied directly to the age spots to destroy any extra pigment. It's effective but may cause scarring.
Prevention/Solution
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The best treatment for age spots is prevention. Using a good sunscreen and avoiding direct sun exposure will keep skin healthy and free of dark colorations.
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Resources
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