AGE SPOTS/SUNSPOTS

Despite their name, age spots are due more to sunning than aging. These spots—also called sunspots, brown spots or liver spots—are flat, uneven dark patches on the face, neck, chest, hands, arms, shoulders and other such areas that are regularly exposed to the sun. Even though they’re usually harmless, these blotchy brownish patches can make you look and feel older than you really are.

Causes
When you’re in the sun, your body reacts by producing a pigment called melanin to protect your skin from ultraviolet rays. If you spend a lot of time in the sun, your skin may overreact by producing too much melanin. That increased pigmentation can result in age spots, which fall into a broad medical category called “pigmented lesions.”

Treatment
Conventional techniques for improving the appearance of age spots include bleaches, freezing, acid washes, pulsed light and traditional laser treatments. But such procedures often fade spots only slightly.

Fraxel treatment, on the other hand, is FDA-approved to effectively treat age spots and other pigment irregularities—on and off the face. And because the Fraxel laser treats one fraction of tissue at a time while leaving healthy skin intact, Fraxel treatment delivers remarkable improvement with minimal downtime.

“The Fraxel laser is an excellent device that both stimulates new cell growth and destroys sun-damaged areas.”—Dr. Steven Cohen, plastic surgeon, San Diego, CA

“Fraxel has become the most-requested procedure among paparazzi-stalked patients…to keep wrinkles and age spots at bay.”—Dr. Grant Stevens, Marina del Rey, CA

Prevention
Avoid age spots by minimizing your skin’s exposure to the sun:

• Wear wide-brimmed hats and clothing that covers as much of your body as possible, especially the arms and legs.
• Wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher, and choose one that is broad spectrum, inhibiting both UVA rays (“A” for aging) and UVB rays (“B” for burn).
• Apply liberally 30 minutes before going outside, even in the winter months, and reapply every 2-3 hours after sweating or being in water.
• Remember to apply sunscreen to the front and back of your neck.
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and surrounding areas.

For more prevention tips, please visit All About Skin