Age spots, or lentigines, are darkened patches that develop on sun-exposed areas of skin, such as the face, shoulders and hands. While they are nearly always benign, they make the skin appear old and uneven and are often removed for cosmetic reasons. Both men and women suffer from age spots, with the number of spots generally increasing with advancing age. Fortunately, several effective solutions for age spots exist that can restore the skin to its natural color.
Creams and Medications
Over-the-counter bleaching creams containing hydroquinone are useful for fading age spots when used for several months or longer. These creams usually produce no significant side effects, according to DermaNetwork. Prescription-strength hydroquinone is stronger and more effective, but it may cause dryness, redness and skin peeling. Tretinoin, a retinoid, also helps fade skin discoloration, especially when used in conjunction with a mild steroid. Creams containing alpha hydroxy acids, lipoic acid or vitamin-C can help fade skin discoloration when used consistently.
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels can effectively diminish the appearance of age spots, but more than one peel is sometimes required to restore the skin's natural color, according to the Mayo Clinic. During a chemical peel, a professional applies a chemical solution to the skin that causes the top layer of skin to separate from lower layers and peel off. The American Academy of Dermatology explains that chemical peels may be deep, of medium depth or superficial and affect only the top layer of skin. Deep peels are more effective than superficial peels, but they cause more side effects and require more recovery time.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy fades age spots by freezing them with a liquid nitrogen solution, causing the darkened skin to peel away from the body. The procedure often causes temporary pain, redness and swelling, but these side effects fade gradually over several days following treatment. In some cases, cryotherapy may leave a permanent white scar. The New Zealand Dermatological Society states that cryotherapy is a safe and inexpensive method of removing age spots and other surface lesions but warns that it is not suitable for use on undiagnosed pigmented areas that may be melanoma.
Laser and Intense Pulsed Light Therapy
Laser therapy eliminates age spots by removing the epidermis, which is the skin's outer layer. While laser therapy is an effective solution for age spots, it is expensive and may cause significant side effects. Intense pulsed light therapy, or IPL, involves the use of targeted light to fade age spots in a method similar to that of laser therapy. IPL, however, uses an intense broadband light to reach both the surface and deeper layers of the skin. DermaNetwork explains that because the epidermis is not the only focus of the light, damage to the skin is minimal and recovery time is shortened.
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