The best way to remove sunspots is to avoid them altogether. Avoiding sun exposure to the face, neck, chest, hands and arms can be difficult to do. Use of clothing and sunscreen with a minimum sun protection factor of 15 can help. Many treatments are available to help rid oneself of these brown skin discolorations.
Topical bleaching solutions such as hydroquinone, retinols or kojic acid will lighten and in some cases inhibit the production of melanin in the area it is applied. Several months of faithful applications need to be executed for results to be seen. This treatment is the least invasive of all pigment removal methods. Side effects from the solutions can include redness, irritation at the site and dryness.
Microdermabrasion is the buffing away of the epidermal layer of skin through a gentle abrasive and vacuum suction. Treatments take from 10-30 minutes and can be done as close as a week apart. Several sessions are needed initially for visible results. Not only is the top layer of skin scraped away, new skin cell growth is stimulated as is collagen. Side effects can include redness over the treated area a few hours after the procedure.
Chemical peels will also remove the top layers of skin to reveal fresh new skin and even out pigment. Chemical peels come in a variety of depths from light to deep and side effects and down time will vary with the type of peel used. Often the light peels such as alpha hydroxy acids or the medium peels such as a Jessners peel can be very effective in removing the unwanted brown color of the sun spots.
Laser treatments are probably the most effective treatment to remove unwanted sun spots. Using specific wavelengths of light, lasers attack the melanin in the darkened areas leaving the body to breakdown the cells and remove them. Many different lasers are effective at achieving this goal such as IPL, Alexandrite, Nd: YAG, VBeam Perfecta and some fractional lasers. A minimum of 2 treatments are needed for complete clearance of the discolorations. Recovery time will depend on the type of laser used. Most lasers have little to no downtime.
As with any treatment for a skin condition, check with your dermatologist if you have concerns over your sun spots. They will explain to you which treatment will most benefit your needs. |
