If you have light to medium skin, you might be noticing an unwelcome side effect of aging: brown, gray, or black age spots. These flat spots are usually harmless, but that doesn’t make them any more welcome. Most people hate the way age spots look and want to get rid of them as soon as possible. If you’re sick of staring at age spots in the mirror, you’re in luck. There are some gentle treatments that can help treat age spots with little to no downtime. These special laser treatments are great for pigmentation issues that occur from years of sun exposure and skin damage. So which laser treatments can remove your age spots?
Why Do We Get Age Spots?
First, let’s take a look at why we get those pesky age spots in the first place. Where do they come from? While there are a number of factors that can contribute to age spots, the basic combination is thought to be age and sun exposure. The skin creates excess melanin (pigment) in spots, causing random hyperpigmentation (spots). These spots are most often found on the face, shoulders, hands, and arms. Overall, age spots are similar to freckles which tend to intensify during the summer months when the sun is strong. Most people with fair to medium skin get age spots eventually.
IPL and BBL Laser Treatments
Age spots can cause some problems with confidence and self-esteem, but there’s really no reason to let them get you down. There are two very effective treatments for addressing age spots without invasive procedures or significant downtime. The two most popular options are IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and BBL (BroadBand Light).
Both procedures are also known as photorejuvenation, a process that uses light to stimulate natural healing processes within the skin. The treatments gently heat the skin and encourage new collagen and elastin to form. This improves the overall appearance of the skin and removes age spot pigmentation. These lasers do not damage the skin. Patients don’t have to worry about major side effects, recovery, or taking time off of work. They can return to normal activities the same day, with only slight redness that will fade quickly. Because the treatments are so gentle, multiple treatments are needed. Most patients receive 4-6 treatments spaced 3 weeks apart.
Check Spots Carefully
While most age spots are harmless, it’s important to make sure that none of your pigment irregularities point to something more serious, like skin cancer. Talk to a doctor and have them examine any spots that concern you. Once you determine whether the spots are benign, you can move on to laser removal treatments without worry. Any potentially cancerous irregularities will need different treatment.
Your Consultation
Whether you’re simply bothered by the appearance of your age spots, or you’d like to treat wrinkles and sagging skin as well, your consultation is the first step toward reaching your goals. During your consultation, you’ll have the opportunity to discuss exactly what you want from treatment and get an expert opinion on which treatment option is best for you. Yet another benefit of your plastic surgery consultation is getting to know your surgeon and having a chance to ask any questions you may have about the procedures you’re considering. When you choose IPL or BBL, you may also want to consider another minimally-invasive treatment in order to enhance your results and see a youthful glow emerge.
Choosing the Right Plastic Surgeon
You may think that minimally-invasive laser treatments are simple to perform. The truth is that any cosmetic procedure must be performed by a skilled and experienced provider in order to achieve truly stellar results and a lower risk for complications. If you’re looking for a board certified expert to help you reach your goals, consider a consultation with leading Austin facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Edward Buckingham. Dr. Buckingham is a facial plastic surgeon with extensive experience in laser treatments, non-invasive anti-aging treatments, and facial surgery. For more information, call Buckingham Center in Austin, TX today at 512.401.2500 to schedule your consultation appointment.
