Using Light Therapies to Remove Age & Sun Spots

A couple of breakthroughs in light therapy offer the chance to fade age and sun spots – and, in the process, rejuvenate your skin in some fundamental ways that most people find very welcome. BBL and IPL are the nicknames for broadband light and intense pulsed light therapy. Each uses warmth and light to work far below the skin’s surface, penetrating the darker pigment of damaged cells and prompting them to rise to the surface and disappear. At the same time, the deep application of light energy stimulates the skin’s own production of collagen and elastin, increasing fullness and suppleness.

What Are Those Spots Anyway?

Of all the names people have given to the clusters of pigment that appear as we age – usually on the hands, not infrequently on the face, chest, shoulders, or arms – perhaps the most confusing name is the oldest one, “liver spots.” Their cause has nothing to do with liver problems, although that once was thought to be the case. Age spots and sun spots may be the most accurate of their many names, because they are, indeed, caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun. The accumulation of exposure over time, as well as the skin’s declining ability to deal with the damage as we age, are the true origins of these discolorations.

Despite being a harmless condition in and of themselves, sun spots are considered a signal of age, and as such most people would rather not have them on display. Topical creams containing depigmentation agents such as tretinoin, hydroquinone, cysteamine, or azelaic acid have been used, but they require patient and persistent application, and they may not agree with everyone in terms of side effects or interactions. Electrosurgery and cryotherapy are two other solutions, yet they are to some extent invasive. The sheer variety of solutions applied to age spots testifies to the desire people have to be rid of them.

All this speaks to why BBL and IPL light therapies are seen as so welcome.

Another Good Reason to Ask a Professional

Not only is access to the most up-to-date solutions for age and sun spots a good reason to see a board-certified dermatologist, but also there is a fundamental health and safety reason to get that professional opinion.

Age spots often obscure the formation of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, the commonest form of cancer there is. In fact, more skin cancers are diagnosed and treated in the U.S. each year than all other forms of cancer combined. So, getting professional help for those age and sun spots is a good idea for basic health reasons, as well as for maintaining a youthful appearance.

At Dermatology Consultants, our practice is devoted to helping people experience the best of the life they want to live. Through professional achievement, training, and experience, we offer you a full array of options for achieving that, plus the understanding to guide you in deciding which ones are right for you. Just contact one of our three locations to get started.