* Individual results may vary.
The skin specialists at Platinum Dermatology are seeing spots before their eyes. More and more people visit our practice for help with age spots. Though benign, these skin discolorations can be aesthetically unappealing, and our patients are looking for a way to lessen their appearance.
In this article, we talk more about the age-old problem of age spots and offer some exciting news about effective treatments for them.
What Is an Age Spot?
There are two types of age spots:
- Solar Lentigines – Try though we might, few of us are able to completely avoid age spots. Solar Lentigines are the most common type of age spot in people over the age of 40. As their name suggests, these spots are related to exposure to sun. This type of age spot appears flat and is generally brown, grey, or black. They look like giant freckles.
Age spots should not be confused with sunspots. Click here to read more about sunspots.
- Seborrhoeic Keratoses – Although seborrhoeic keratoses can look worrisome, they are benign and not a form of cancer. Seborrhoeic keratoses are yellow or brown, and unlike the flat solar lentigines are often wart-like skin lesions that appear to be ‘stuck on.’ This skin condition, also known as seborrhoeic warts or verruca warts, often runs in families.
Seborrhoeic keratoses are wart-like and look as if they were pasted on the skin. They generally start off as small rough bumps which gradually get thicker and develop a warty surface. Although they range in colour from black to white, they are most often brown. They can be tiny or as big as an inch across, and every size in between.
Treatment for Age Spots
There are a variety of treatments to address age spots*:
- Chemical Peels – Salicylic and other medical acids can be used to safely remove very superficial age spots. Several treatments may be necessary to achieve noticeable results.
- Cryotherapy (freezing) – Liquid nitrogen or another freezing agent is applied to the age spot to destroy the extra pigment. As the area heals, the skin is often lighter so the best cosmetic result is often not achieved with this treatment.
- Medications – Prescription bleaching creams can gradually fade spots, but they don’t always work.
The skin experts at Platinum Dermatology frequently rely on the power of laser light to dissolve age spots.
Platinum Dermatology Uses Pigment Laser to Treat Age Spots
BroadBand Light (BBL) is an innovative technology in pigment lasers/light devices. It sets new standards for treating skin problems associated with ageing, including age spots and small facial veins. BroadBand light is used to gently target the pigment in the upper layers of the skin. The heat is absorbed by the targeted areas, which removes the unwanted pigment.
BroadBand light (BBL) also helps the skin experts at Platinum Dermatology restore a patient’s skin to its natural radiance by smoothing out uneven tones and textures. The BBL is also effective for treating facial redness, which can be addressed at the same time as a treatment for age spots. The BroadBand light effectively eliminates the fine vessels that cause redness, while reducing the unwanted melanin that produces pigmented lesions in age spots.*
Click here to read more about treatments with BroadBand Light treatments.
Ablative Spot Laser Treatment for Seborrhoeic Keratoses
Ablative laser skin resurfacing is one of the most effective cosmetic treatments for removing individual age spots. The process “peels away” the individual spots much as you might peel the skin off an onion.
At Platinum Dermatology, some age spots are treated with an intense wavelength of light, removing the outer layers of the discoloured skin. The light also stimulates the underlying skin, resulting in collagen formation.
Thanks to the precision made possible by lasers, we can offer our patients full skin resurfacing to rejuvenate the entire complexion as well as spot treatments to clear up age spots.*
Click here to read more about laser skin resurfacing treatments.
If you’re unhappy with age spots, contact Platinum Dermatology on 02 8014 6500 or use the contact form on this page to learn how we can help you keep your skin healthy and beautiful.
* Individual results may vary.