What will fade age spots

Zeichner explains. Bonus: It has antibacterial properties that can help banish acne and the scars pimples leave behind. Paula's Choice. How to use it: Apply it all over your face once or twice a day; you can use it alone or with your favorite moisturizer. When using it during the day, be sure to follow it with sunscreen. Lasers are the most expensive yet most impactful treatment to reduce dark spots.

However, it delivers less focused light and may have an unwanted effect on the surrounding skin, especially in darker or tanned skin. The ideal laser treatment for hyperpigmentation will provide a cooling blast or at least limit the amount of heat generated. Ask your dermatologist or laser technician whether the laser they're using treats at a rapid rate with a focused beam, like the The Lightpod Neolaser by Aerolase.

This type of laser will help avoid an inflammatory response, burns, or collateral damage, Dr. Derm tip: Anticipate as many as six treatments possibly even more with three to four weeks in between, in-office only. Exfoliating treatments like chemical peels remove the upper layers of dead skin, helping to reduce the dull appearance of the skin so that it reflects light better and appears to glow, Dr.

Jamal says. Common active ingredients in pro-grade peels include glycolic, mandelic, salicylic, and lactic acids, along with trichloroacetic acid.

While at-home peels are available, they are more likely to slough off dead skin rather than get deep enough to lighten dark spots, Dr. Jamal adds. Of course, keep in mind that chemical peels can be harsh, particularly on sensitive skin, so be sure to talk to your dermatologist about how you may react before booking one. Derm tip: Typically three to six treatments possibly more spaced out by three to four weeks is needed to see results.

Note: Deeper peels have greater risks but may only require one or two treatments. Microdermabrasion is another well-known exfoliating treatment for hyperpigmentation that uses tiny particles to sand away dead skin. You can treat your age spots at home with topical medicated creams. Doctors most often prescribe:.

You should always apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF sun protection factor of at least 30, especially if you use one or more topical treatments. This helps reduce any additional sun damage. Be aware that prescription topical creams have a very strong effect on the skin. They may result in burning, dryness, itching, or redness, usually only temporarily. Be aware that some of these products may irritate your skin, especially those that contain hydroquinone.

Your doctor may be able to treat age spots in the office faster than you can at home. Here are some in-office medical treatment options for age spots. These treatments help destroy melanin-making cells the cells that color age spots without harming the surface of the skin.

Some weeks or months after the treatment, your age spots should begin to fade. There are few side effects of laser and intense pulsed light therapy. Most often, people experience some temporary discoloration of their skin. For this treatment, your doctor will apply liquid nitrogen or another freezing solution to your age spots using a cotton-tipped swab.

This should destroy some of the color pigment of your age spots. As your skin heals, it will appear lighter in color. Age spots, which are sometimes called liver spots or solar lentigines, happen after exposure to ultraviolet UV light , says dermatologist Amy Kassouf, MD.

They can be tan, brown or black, vary in size and usually appear on the areas most exposed to the sun such as the face, hands, shoulders and arms. Kassouf says. Your skin contains melanin, which gives your skin its color. Melanin also gives you a tan when your skin is exposed to UV light. Age spots appear when melanin becomes clumped in the skin or is produced in high concentrations, such as when your skin is exposed to lots of UV light, Dr.

Anyone can develop age spots, but you may be more likely to develop the condition if you have light-colored or fair skin or have a history of frequent or intense sun exposure or sunburn. Older women are more susceptible to age spots — and sun damage — because they have reduced amounts of melanin in the skin. If you have age spots, seeing a dermatologist can also save you time and money.

It can be difficult to figure out which, if any, can help you. Some people need a prescription-strength cream to fade age spots. A board-certified dermatologist can tell you whether a prescription-strength cream or procedure would be more effective for you. These side effects tend to fade quickly. Cryosurgery procedure : This is a common treatment for age spots. During this procedure, a dermatologist freezes the age spots. As the skin heals, it has a more even skin tone.

After treatment, you may have some pain, a blister, or temporary redness and swelling. Possible permanent side effects include darkening of an age spot, lightening of the skin around the age spot, or a scar. When a board-certified dermatologist performs cryosurgery, permanent side effects are rare. Microdermabrasion procedure : During this procedure, a dermatologist will smooth away age spots.

Studies show this can be quite effective, especially when a patient also has a chemical peel. In one study, some patients were treated with microdermabrasion once every two weeks for 16 weeks.

The patients who received microdermabrasion and a chemical peel had better results. Half of these patients saw their age spots completely disappear.