Age Spots: You Can Lighten Them Up with a Chemical Peel
Freckles were cute when you were playing T-ball, but now you’re thinking…What is that - an age spot?!? Although age spots really have little to do with aging, they do appear over time when the cells that produce melanin (skin pigment) go bad. You’ll get a freckle, or more likely a blotch that’s bigger than a freckle, and it just won’t go away. If you think it’s too early to be noticing age spots but you see them on family members - well, the bad news is, those darkened, discolored spots that appear on faces and hands over the years are hereditary, so you may be likely to get them.
The good news is that you can take steps now to minimize the appearance of this discoloration. Better yet, the science of dermatology keeps evolving with new cosmetic dermatology treatments. This means all of us, at any age, have options to fade skin discoloration. In this article, I’ll give you the information you need on the treatment generally known as the chemical peel (or facial peel).
But first, let’s talk about what you can do to try to avoid age spots: Sunscreen! (You knew I’d say that.) Sun damage brings out these spots and blotches, and for those of us already blessed with the unsightly marks, sun exposure will make them darker and more prominent. No question: wear protective clothing and use a UVA/UVB sunscreen marked at least SPF 30. Protect your skin from the sun - every day, even if it’s cloudy!
But, what if the pesky age spots have already blossomed on your skin? Among the treatments cosmetic dermatologists offer, chemical facial peels provide effective fading of age spots and other skin discoloration, along with other benefits. The facial peel works by loosening the connections between surface cells and speeding up the “turnover rate,” bringing new cells to the skin surface. Since these spots begin with defective pigmentation in deeper cells, this procedure lets your skin get rid of these cells, along with sun-damaged surface skin. A side benefit: the process also smoothes wrinkles and increases collagen production, thereby improving skin tone.
Chemical treatments offer an advantage over surface procedures like dermabrasion: peels work at a deeper level in your skin. Of course, you’ll want to talk with your own cosmetic dermatologist about the best treatment for your unique needs. A few people have chemical-sensitive skin, so preliminary testing will make it clear if this treatment is right for you.
Everyone should know that the skin will become more sensitive to other skin products and to sunlight during the series of treatments. The dermatologist may use an anesthetic, as your skin will likely feel hot, look red and peel. But, it will settle down in a few days to a week, and look very clear and even in tone - in other words, youthful!
Natural fruit acids provide the gentler (and less expensive) chemical peel treatments, especially glycolic acid, as well as lactic and citric acid. Each treatment is brief (15-20 minutes), and a series over a few months will gently renew the skin, fading those age spots right out. Again, you may have some redness, but it’s less pronounced. These treatments are easier on your whole system than the stronger formulations mentioned above.
Related posts:
- What is the Right Chemical Peel for Me?
- The combination peel will treat age spots as well, but Lactic 50 will provide better results, if your are wanting to focus on lightening pigmentation.
- Which peel should I use to diminish the appearance of age spots?
- Will a chemical peel help with elasticity and wrinkles?
- AHA vs. BHA chemical peels
