Age spots are benign conditions mostly affecting individuals over the age of 50. Age spots are not dangerous at all. They are often confused with melanoma and moles. People can choose to remove them for cosmetic reasons.
Ask most people, and they can’t tell the difference between age spots and freckles. That’s because age spots might look like freckles. The difference is that freckles go away, but age spots don’t. They are brown and may appear in groups. They could be small or large. Usually, they appear on the body parts that have been exposed to the Sun for a long time, like the face, hands, arms, shoulders, and back. Age spots are also sometimes referred to as liver spots.
Age has nothing to do with them, and a person can get them at any age. But usually, they occur more in middle-aged people who have lighter skin. They are typically half an inch in size. They might become noticeable and cause some cosmetic concerns if they are grouped. Usually, they are harmless and don’t cause any pain or discomfort. But it would be best if you had a doctor look at them as they could turn out to be skin abnormalities or melanoma(skin cancer).
Usually, age spots or liver spots are harmless and appear on the skin as it ages. With aging, the skin layers start thinning, which allows the melanin to become visible. When the melanin appears on the skin, it takes the appearance of spots. The primary reason for liver and age spots is exposure to the Sun. The more sun exposure you have, the more age spots will develop. The body parts that receive the most Sun are the back of the hands, and thus, they have more age spots than any other body part. Most people do not wear protective clothing or apply sunscreen on their hands. People with fair skin are more at risk of developing age spots than others.
Age spots tend to be flat, and their colour varies from light to dark brown. They also don’t have a single shape or size. They could be oval, but not always. Mostly, they resemble freckles, and most people take them as such. Although they are not harmful, they may cause you some social discomfort or cosmetic problems. This discomfort is especially true if they appear on the face, neck, cleavage, or other exposed areas. There are various methods of lightening them or getting rid of them permanently.
Appearance: Flat; oval or jagged edges
Size: Varied; generally quite small
Colour: Increased pigmentation than surrounding skin, usually tan to dark brown
Location: Anywhere on the body; most often on areas that have had the most sun exposure over the years (eg. backs of hands, tops of feet, face, shoulders, upper back)
Additional symptoms: Often grouped together
It is unclear exactly what causes age spots, but there is correlation between age spots and UX exposure. Sunscreen is therefore an effective prevention method. Age spots also affect fair-skinned people more than darker-skinned people.
There are unknown causes for the development of age spots, also known as liver spots. Mostly, these can be seen in people above 40.
After 40, the skin does not regenerate as rapidly as before. Couple that with sun exposure, and that damages the skin. The more you age, the more you risk the appearance of liver spots on your skin. Although they are called liver spots, they have nothing to do with liver function. Their name comes from the colour, which is the same as that of the liver. Also, there was a time when people thought that liver disease was the cause of liver spots, but research has shown that there is no linkage between the two.
Treatments for age spots vary. They may include:
Our surgeons are highly trained and experienced professionals who care deeply about their patients, and have the skills, experience, and hands-on approach to lighten or remove age spots quickly. Rest assured all of our procedures are carried out with the utmost care, precision, regard for aesthetics, and in a safe environment.
The age spot removal procedure is safe and effective. Dr. Jindal and Dr. Tutino typically take around half an hour to complete it. Depending on your medical history, the severity of the condition, and other factors, Dr. Tutino might choose to apply the Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy or one of the other methods to lighten or remove age spots.
Dr. Jindal or Dr. Tutino will discuss the entire procedure with you during your initial consultation. He will examine your age spots and inform you about the removal procedure, recovery, risks, and the number of treatments that you might need to soften or remove your age spots. Usually, it takes around three treatments, but every patient is different, and our surgeons do not believe in cookie-cutter surgeries. Our surgeons believe in personalized and tailored treatment plans for each patient. Depending on your particular case, they might recommend more or less than three treatments.
Age spots are entirely harmless. But if they present a cosmetic problem, then you can have them removed. Just make sure to have them checked to ensure they are not melanoma or any other skin abnormality.
Age spots are also called liver spots or sunspots. They are harmless and non-cancerous. They are not a type of skin cancer and do not develop into any form of cancer.
Not usually. Generally, after you have had the surgery, the age spots do not return. But new ones could grow in places that are exposed to the Sun.
Age spots can appear suddenly, or they may take a long time to appear. There is no specific way to tell whether their growth is fast or not.
Age spots are harmless and non-cancerous. If you have any spots, make sure to tell Dr. Tutino about them, especially if they are black or they change their appearance. These changes could mean that they might be some form of skin cancer.
The cost of the procedure depends on the number of spots you have, the target area, and the number of treatments that our surgeon might suggest. Since no two patients are alike, the cost is different too for everyone. Our surgeon will inform you about the cost of your personalized treatment plan.
The thing with age spots is that they can come back if the sun exposure continues, even after the procedure. If you want to keep the age spots away, we recommend keeping your skin covered, using sunscreen regularly, and moisturizing it once you’ve had the procedure. After your procedure, our surgeon will give you more instructions to ensure that your skin remains blemish-free and the age spots do not return.
Recovery time for age spots is minimal, and you will soon be back to your routine after the procedure. It might feel like you have a sunburn immediately after the procedure, but this will go away in the next 24-48 hours. There might also be some redness around the target area right after the treatment, and it might look like your age spots have become darker, but that is normal. Our surgeon explains it all in great detail during your initial consultation. After the procedure, you will soon see your age spots fading, and in the next two weeks, you will have the expected results that our surgeon discussed.
One of the things that our surgeons recommend to all patients is to avoid the sun for at least two days after the procedure and before it. If you have a tan, our surgeon might not perform the procedure on the given date.
