Ask Laser Lights: What Can I Do About My Age Spots?
For many of us, “aging” is a swear word. You do what you can to stave it off by keeping up a healthy lifestyle and skincare routine, but ultimately, the years catch up with us all. When our patients want to look younger, they typically come in asking for treatments to reduce wrinkles, but there’s another tell-tale sign of aging which is often forgotten but can instantly give away your years: age spots. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways we can treat them.
Laser Treatments
Age spots are made up of melanin, the pigment your body naturally produces. As sun damage accumulates over the years, your skin produces more melanin to try to protect itself, which creates an appearance of patches that are darker than your normal skin tone. Laser treatments send targeted energy into these pigment cells, breaking them up into smaller particles, which allows your body to naturally absorb and eliminate them. Most age spots can be minimized with just one or two targeted laser treatments, leaving you with a younger-looking complexion.
Chemical Peels
Another way to address age spots is by clearing away the damaged outer layers of skin. Just as the name suggests, during a chemical peel, one of our highly experienced licensed aestheticians will apply a chemical solution to your skin, which will penetrate to a specified depth before being washed away. The depth of your treatment, as well as the amount of visible peeling your skin will experience throughout the natural process that occurs in the days and weeks after your procedure, depends on your unique cosmetic goals (since peels can treat different skin issues at once).
Micro Laser Peels
Essentially, a micro laser peel is like a chemical peel without the chemicals. Though it uses the same approach of helping your body shed the damaged outer layers of skin to reveal the brighter, younger-looking skin beneath, a micro laser peel uses fractionated CO2 laser technology to achieve great results with minimal recovery time. Plus, the laser helps your body produce more collagen (the component that gives your skin youthful firmness, smoothness, and elasticity).
Silk Dermalinfusion® Microdermabrasion
As our gentlest way to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation, Silk Dermalinfusion® puts a new spin on tried-and-true microdermabrasion. As the damaged top layer of skin is buffed away, a customized topical solution is applied. Because Silk Dermalinfusion® microdermabrasion doesn’t affect the skin as deeply as the other treatment options do, it’s downtime-free and can be an ideal option for patients who are looking for a more mild procedure.
Without a doubt, there are some excellent ways to minimize age spots and to restore a younger appearance with little or no recovery time. So then the question is, which one is best for you? Finding the right option involves considering the unique features of your skin, your other cosmetic concerns, and more, so the first step is to schedule a skin analysis and consultation at Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center. Or, to stock up on helpful information and cosmetic tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.