What You Need to Understand About Age Spots

Prolonged skin exposure to sunlight will lead to age spots. These flat, usually brown or black spots can occur on the skin or hands and are a common sign of aging. Although aging is natural and inevitable, you do not have to worry about age spots. Your Dermatology Forest Hills provider can help establish the root cause of your problem and initiate treatment in good time to enhance clinical efficiency.

What are age spots?

Age spots are also commonly referred to as liver spots or sunspots. More clinical terms for these freckle-looking spots on your skin include senile lentigo or solar lentigines. One of the main reasons you have solar lentigines is spending too much time in the sun. The sun’s rays are powerful and can cause these benign growths on your skin, which, although not lethal, can cause extreme self-consciousness.

Talk to your dermatologist about your skin condition, including age spots, to receive urgent treatment. This skin condition can occur at all ages due to varying causes. An accurate diagnosis will ensure you start appropriate treatment. An ideal treatment will ensure you receive desired outcomes.

The reason you have age spots

It would be wise to find the root cause of your age spot and begin treatment early for effective outcomes. A comprehensive review of your medical and family history will help your doctor conclude the presence of predispositions to your condition to ensure you receive adequate care.

Melanin is a skin pigment that determines how dark or light you are. Excess production of this skin pigment can lead to age spots. Exposure to extreme radiation is another cause of sunspots. Ultraviolet light exposure from tanning beds or direct sunlight can cause this skin aging sign.

You should closely evaluate the areas you neglect by applying sunscreen for an early diagnosis of age spots to begin restorative treatment that can solve your concern and optimize your wellness. Most patients report sunspots on the skin on their shoulders, face, neck, and upper arms. You may also develop age spots on your feet.

A detailed diagnosis of age spots will depend on the area and level of sun exposure. Reviewing your medical history will also help your doctor detect predispositions making you susceptible to age spots and recommend preventative treatment.

What your doctor looks for when analyzing your age spots

Your doctor will consider the following before adding details to your age spots diagnosis:

• Color: Black or brown are typical pigments for age spots.
• Texture: Your skin will feel the same. The spot’s visibility will reveal the sun-exposed area.
• Grouping: These age spots can appear alone or in a cluster.
• Shape: Age spots are round with defined edges.

Which treatment will eliminate your age spots?

A comprehensive evaluation of your age spots will help your doctor recommend the most appropriate treatment. Routine dermatologic care for age spots includes Intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment, dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, cryosurgery, or chemical peels.

Call the offices of Adult and Pediatric Dermatology about your skin issue to receive an accurate age spot diagnosis and begin effective treatment for younger-looking skin.