There are three main types of skin care products to control, lighten, and get rid of sunspots. But there are also a couple of different laser treatments that will help fade your sun/brown spots. If you use skin care products in conjunction with laser treatments you will get the best results, and your spots can eventually fade away completely.
Your three main types of products to fade sunspots should include:
- Exfoliating products that remove existing skin pigment.
- Products that turn off skin pigment production to help prevent future dark sunspots.
- Broad-spectrum sunscreens that block the UV rays that are the cause of these annoying sunspots in the first place.
At The Laser Image Company, when patients want to control their sunspots, we create a comprehensive and powerful skin care routine that incorporates all of these types of products. The clients skin will also looks younger and smoother because of the additional benefits these cosmeceuticals provide!
Step 1. Exfoliate to fade sunspots
Exfoliating skin care will help lighten your sunspots because the pigment of the spots are carried up from the living cells into the dead cells above. Exfoliating removes the dead cells – pigment and all! The best exfoliation comes when you use both physical exfoliation and “chemical” exfoliation to do the job. You are probably familiar with “physical” exfoliation. This is the use of rough sponges or scrubs to remove the outer dead cells on your skin. “Chemical” exfoliation is more complicated. This is the use of creams and peels like AHAs and BHAs to loosen the glue that holds the dead cells onto your skin. When you loosen the “glue” the cells come off better, giving you even greater results. Always talk to your skin care professional before starting using any stronger exfoliators and be careful not to over exfoliate your skin.
Step 2. Add skin pigment faders to lighten your sunspots even more
Faders are products that actually decrease the amount of pigment produced by your skins melanocyte cells.
Retinoids: Retinoids also exfoliate skin so you are getting a two-for in terms of how they will help lighten sunspots. Additionally, they are powerful collagen-production stimulators, which means they help reduce wrinkles and other signs of skin aging.
Vitamin C: Adding a skin care product with high concentrations of stable vitamin C can help to turn down pigment production, which lightens sunspots. The effect is mild, but vitamin C products have other anti-aging benefits, such as the ability to stimulate collagen. They are also excellent antioxidants to help protect your skin from additional damage from aging free radicals.
Hydroquinone: This is the classic “skin bleaching” ingredient in skin lightening creams and lotions. The 4% prescription strength works best to lighten sunspots. For best results, hydroquinone should be used in combination with retinoids, AHAs (like glycolic acid), and sunscreen.
Non-hydroquinone skin lighteners: There are other skin lighteners, such as kojic acid, azelaic acid, licorice, and arbutin that are used in skin care products to lighten brown spots.
Step 3. Broad Spectrum Sunscreen
Sun up to sun down, 365 days a year, on the entire planet earth, UVA rays will create and darken your sunspots. Yep, your sunspots are not safe in winter. It’s true that the UVB sunburn rays are weaker in winter but the UVA rays are out as intensely as 12 noon on the equator. It means you need to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen, all year during the daylight hours.
Laser Treatments I recommend in conjunction with these products for best results:
IPL Photofacial, sometimes called LimeLight, is an innovative laser procedure to quickly, safely and comfortably improves your skin’s texture, tone and color. IPL is the perfect procedure to remove the signs of aging, sun damage, reduce wrinkles, decrease rosacea and get clearer, younger looking skin.
Laser Genesis is another treatment for clients that have lighter melasma. It is safe on any skin types, has been shown to improve skin texture and sun damage and even reduce dark eye circles.
If you have been out in the sun too much and have severe sun damage, deep wrinkles and loose skin, then Fractional CO2 Laser treatment may be your answer.
Let us at The Laser Image Company guide you to the correct treatment for fading those spots.
