Why age spots and pigmentation are easier to treat than ever before
Growing older is an inevitable part of life and, for most of us, so are age spots.
And while some find that age spots (also known as liver spots, brown spots, freckles or solar lesions) are just an irritating result of too much sun exposure, for others they are a confidence-knocking problem that only gets worse as we age.
But, though the emotional impact can be intense, particularly for those who are keen to achieve flawless skin, there are ways to address them.
So, what are age spots?
Age spots tend to affect those who have fair or lighter skin, or people who have spent a lot of time using tanning beds – but they can affect anyone, particularly with age.
Generally, they will appear as flat, circular or oval areas of increased pigmentation – which will normally be tan, brown, red or black in colour – and are usually found on skin which has had the most sun exposure over the years, such as the hands, tops of the feet, face, shoulders and upper back.
And how are they caused?
These lesions are caused by overactive pigment cells – the result of a higher melanin production in the skin.
The good news is that this is actually your body’s defence mechanism kicking into action, making your skin darker so that it can cope with the sun’s UV rays (hence why more sun exposure means more age spots).
As a rule, they are harmless and simply an annoying part of growing older, as the skin’s renewal process slows down.
However, we would urge patients to look for professional advice if they notice sudden changes; for example, becoming quickly and darkly pigmented, rapidly increasing in size, having an irregular border or having an unusual combination of colours.
They should also visit a doctor they experience itching, redness, tenderness or bleeding.
Okay… so, it is just an age spot – how we can fix this?
There are a number of ways to tackle harmless age spots, from topical cosmeceutical care to mild facial peels and microneedling.
However, we are particularly excited to introduce our PicoSure Focus skin revitalisation treatment to give patients the best and most effective results in-clinic yet for this issue.
This is an ideal option for tackling pigmentation because the PicoSure laser is unlike traditional lasers and can actually treat any skin type – no matter how light or dark.
It does this by using ‘PressureWave’ technology, a unique wavelength of light of 755mm paired with a specialised lens, which sees the cells essentially squeezed and shattered, allowing the natural cell signalling process to kick in and boost collagen production.
While in the past, lasers have tended to rely on using a more intense wavelength to burn away and destroy skin to force a re-heal (which can only be used on certain skin types with added risks), this innovative form of laser has helped an increasing number of patients achieve their skin goals.
This also means less downtime for the patient, with side effects limited to a mild redness or itchiness for just a few hours, due to the unique wavelength not targeting the outer layer of the skin.
And the best part is that PicoSure has also been FDA-approved, making it officially one of the safest lasers on the market.
If you would like to find out more about PicoSure and how it could address your age spots, call us on 01494 670 990 or email us on: info@sthetics.co.uk