Age Spot Treatment

Age spots are a common problem among older adults and people with fair skin. While these signs of sun damage are natural, they can impact your self-esteem and make you feel self-conscious about your appearance. Our team of experienced dermatologists in Greater Houston, TX, has the tools to help patients from Kingwood, Pearland, The Woodlands, Willowbrook, El Campo, and other nearby areas fade discoloration and enjoy clear, evenly textured skin.

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What Are Age Spots?

Age spots (also known as “liver spots” or lentigines) are flat, round, brown, or black patches of skin. These spots are usually more prevalent as we age and are caused by overexposure to sunlight. While they can appear anywhere on the body, they most often develop on areas with high sun exposure, such as the face, hands, shoulders, chest, and arms. We recommend that a dermatologist perform an annual skin check to ensure these spots are not potentially cancerous.

What Are the Treatments for Age Spots?

Treatments for age spots vary with the number and severity of your concerns.

Treatments for Mild Age Spots

Our dermatologists often suggest topical creams and lotions as an initial treatment for lightening age spots over time. Options include:

• Retinoids
• Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) lotions
• Hydroquinone

Another option, Clear + Brilliant®, is a gentle fractional laser that treats mild age spots by releasing pinpoint columns of energy into the skin, causing the creation of new skin cells.

Treatments for More Noticeable Age Spots

Darker age spots require more aggressive treatments, such as the following:

• Laser treatments such as Fraxel®, Excel® V, and laser skin resurfacing with the SPLENDORX Nd:YAG use laser energy to penetrate deep into the skin to break apart excess pigment, stimulate the growth of new skin cells, and increase collagen production.
• Microneedling creates tiny injuries in the skin that increase the production of new skin cells and collagen.
• Cryotherapy freezes individual age spots.
• Chemical peels dissolve the top layer of skin, including the excess pigment, to reveal fresh, new skin cells.
• Intense pulsed light (IPL) releases powerful light energy into the skin without harming the surface. Pigment in the age spots heats up, breaks apart, and is sloughed off or flushed out of the body. IPL also increases collagen production for increased firmness.

All these treatments can be prescribed or performed in our offices and require little to no downtime. We also recommend applying strong SPF sunscreen daily and wearing sun-protective clothing such as hats and long-sleeved shirts to prevent further damage.

Our Greater Houston area dermatology team can help you diminish age spots and rejuvenate your skin. If you would like to learn more about treatments for age spots, please request a consultation with one of our specialists at a location near you.