Are Your Youthful Freckles Turning Into Age Spots? What Are Your Options?
If you've had freckles since you were a child, you may have grown to enjoy them as an adult; indeed, freckles are often associated with youth, vigor, and a bubbly personality. However, over time and with more exposure to the sun, these freckles can eventually morph into larger, darker patches of melanin that more greatly resemble age or liver spots. What can you do to eliminate these spots without erasing your freckles in the process? Read on to learn more about a few of the cosmetic procedures that can help minimize the look of age spots while still retaining some of the freckles that add personality to your face.
Laser treatment
Lasers can be used to change and transform a variety of skin properties, from color to texture -- indeed, high-powered lasers can even erase black tattoo ink. By using a laser beam to target the concentrations of melanin on your face, neck, and hands, you'll essentially eliminate these patches and replace them with smooth, even-toned skin.
This procedure is relatively painless, although you may hear a snapping or popping noise and the sensation of a rubber band snapping against your skin with each pulse of the laser. Depending upon your pain tolerance and the number of spots you'd like to have removed, you may be able to have this treatment during a single procedure or over the course of a few weeks or even months, giving your skin a chance to heal in the meantime.
Lightening cream
If your age spots are still fairly light in color, or if there's not much of a contrast between them and the rest of your skin, you may benefit from the application of a skin-lightening cream before you pursue more invasive methods like laser resurfacing. These creams operate by lightening the top few layers of skin, reducing the look of age spots without impacting the freckles you've had for years.
These creams are available over the counter and by prescription; you may want to consult a dermatologist before making your selection to ensure you choose a cream that's right for your skin type and texture.
You'll also want to test this cream on an inconspicuous area of your body before applying it to your face to ensure you don't suffer an adverse reaction or end up with too-light skin.
Because both options are widely available and have few risks of complications, there's no reason to find yourself stuck with unattractive age spots -- instead, look into laser treatment or skin lightening cream to take years off your appearance. Contact a company like Los Gatos Dermatology to learn more.