Skin texture changes are the visible changes to your skin that make you look older and more tired, and they include wrinkles, dry skin, age spots, scars, and sun damage.
Everyone experiences changes to the skins texture as they age, based on their genetic predisposition and their lifestyle choices.
Age spots are the darker areas of pigmentation that usually show up on the face and hands. They are caused when the melanin collects together due to frequent exposure to the sun over a lifetime; though, if you’re a frequent sunbather, you can have age spots show up before your time.
Age spots can be frustrating because they do not respond completely to over the counter treatments, despite the claims on skin lightening products that line the shelves of department stores.
To truly combat the appearance of age spots, you must have a professional esthetician or plastic surgeon evaluate your skin and recommend a medical-grade treatment.
Treating age spots is best done with a laser or IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatment. There are a number of laser treatment options out there, allowing the surgeon or esthetician to control the depth and location of the laser.
This gives them extreme precision, allowing them to treat the age spot without altering the surrounding skin. The waves from the laser target the collected melanin, causing it to fragment and fade.
It will require a course of three to five laser treatments to fully treat age spots, with the treatments spaced between one and six weeks apart. The length of the treatment will depend on the size of the area being treated, but is generally no more than one hour (usually less).
A laser treatment for age spots will usually require no downtime, meaning you will be able to return to your usual activities as soon as you leave the office.
If you have and questions or would like to schedule a consultation, please call us at (703) 574-2588. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook!