As you get older, you may start to notice age spots on your skin. You may wonder about whether or not you should be concerned about these, or whether they are like freckles: harmless, but indicators of sun exposure/damage. You may also wonder what can be done to prevent and treat them.

Here is what you need to know about preventing and treating age spots.

What Are Age Spots?

An age spot is a small, darkened area on your skin that is flat, tan to dark brown, and typically bigger than freckles, though they range from the size of a freckle to about half an inch across. They usually group together and vary in size. They appear on the face, hands, shoulders, arms, etc, all the areas that get the most sun exposure.

While they are most common in adults over 50, younger people can also get them if they spend a lot of time in the sun. 

What Causes Age Spots?

In order to best know how to prevent and treat age spots, you need to understand what causes them first. Age spots are caused by overactive pigment cells in areas that have frequent/prolonged exposure to UV light. This is an overproduction of melanin in an attempt to protect your skin from the skin. 

You are more likely to get age spots if you have fair skin, if you have frequent or intense sunburns, and if you have frequent or intense exposure to the sun. 

Do You Need To Worry About An Age Spot?

No, you don’t. Age spots don’t need treatment any more than freckles do. They just indicate sun damage. However, if they bother you, you can have them lightened or removed. You can also use makeup to cover them up.

How To Prevent Age Spots

You may not have to worry about age spots, but that doesn’t mean you may want them. Some people are bothered by them, since they can indicate that they are aging. As such, there are things that you can do in order to prevent age spots.

Basically, preventing age spots just involves protecting your skin from the sun. 

Wear Sunscreen Religiously

The AAD recommends a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ every day in order to prevent sun damage. This isn’t just for when you are hiking or going to the beach, but quite literally every day. Even if it’s raining or you aren’t going anywhere, UV rays can still get through clouds and windows to your skin.

Don’t forget your lips, as they can get age spots too. There are lip balms that have SPF in them. 

Wear Protective Clothing

You can also wear protective clothing and avoid the sun during its peak hours (10am-2pm). There are specific types of clothing with UV protection, typically seen in sports sections. You can also opt for long sleeves, pants, skirts, and broad-brimmed hats.

Don’t Go To Tanning Beds

The same as laying out on the beach without sun protection can lead to sun damage, tanning beds can cause UV damage too. If you prefer how you look with a tan, you may prefer a self-tanning lotion for an option with risk of UV damage. Talk to your dermatologist about what you can do to be a bronzey goddess without suffering sun damage.

Treatment For Age Spots

While age spots are not cancerous and don’t develop into cancer, it’s always a good idea to have your dermatologist evaluate them just in case. If dermatologist is concerned, they will suggest a biopsy, where they take a small piece of skin from the spot and send it to a lab to have it tested for abnormalities. However, if it is a true age spot, this is typically harmless. 

Makeup

This isn’t a treatment, but it can lessen the appearance of your age spots. You can cover them with makeup, such as by using a color-correcting concealer. A makeup artist would be able to give you specific makeup advice, but generally, using yellow or peach-colored concealers on age spots and then using your normal concealer and foundation can work to cancel it out. 

It’s good to consult with a makeup artist in order to avoid wasting money on makeup that doesn’t work for you so that you can get personalized advice, recommendations, and be shown what to do.

Over-The-Counter Treatments

You can get creams and lotions and the like over the counter. Bear in mind that these are not as effective as professional treatments. It’s also important to note that even with professional treatments, age spots have a tendency to return. 

Spot Treatment

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests specific creams and lotions that can help lessen the appearance of age spots. They won’t work miracles, but over time, you can see an improvement. 

Professional Options

There are a variety of professional treatment options for age spots. These include prescriptions, like bleaching creams. 

Medical Procedures

Medical procedures can remove/reduce age spots.

These include:

• Intense pulsed light treatment. Light waves pass through the skin and target melanin to break up spots.
• Chemical peels remove the outer layer of skin so that new skin can grow.
• Dermabrasion sands the outer layers of skin away so that new skin can grow.
• Cryosurgery freezes spots with liquid nitrogen.
• Your dermatologist can also cut the spot out.

Should You See Your Dermatologist For Age Spots?

While you don’t need medical treatment for age spots, you should have them looked at if they have changed in appearance or turned black in color, as these signs can indicate melanoma (skin cancer). See your doctor for evaluation if the age spot is getting bigger, the border is irregular, it has an unusual combination of colors or is black instead of just a shade of brown, or if it is bleeding. 

Remember you still need to protect your skin from the sun even if you already have age spots. This is especially important after treating age spots.

While age spots are harmless, you may not like their appearance. As such, you can take steps to either prevent them or to treat them, if desired.  It is always good to talk to your dermatologist about any concerns you have

Allen-Taintor Dermatology is here to help with your skin concerns. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and let us help you keep your skin healthy and beautiful.

Skincare is something we typically learn about from those around us. If no one in your family paid attention to skincare and all you knew was to put on sunscreen in the summer, the world of skincare can seem intimidating. Even if you and your friends love staying on top of the latest skincare, you could still end up making harmful skincare mistakes. 

Many people don’t even know that some of these mistakes are a problem or even possible. Without further ado, here are some skincare mistakes you’re probably making that could affect your skin. 

#1. Sleeping With Makeup On

Whether you were out partying until the early hours of the morning, you had an exhausting workday, or you’re just feeling lazy, it can be easy to hit the sack without taking your makeup off. Perhaps you even think it’s a win: future you won’t have to do their makeup tomorrow because you can just touch up last night’s!

However, sleeping with your makeup on clogs your pores, which can cause acne. It also makes you more susceptible to premature aging, due to the fact that your skin is left exposed to bacteria all night long. Even if you’re exhausted, taking a couple of minutes to remove your makeup helps your skin stay clear and youthful for longer. 

#2. Forgetting That You Can Have Too Much Of A Good Thing

Do you have a pimple you’re desperate to get rid of? Maybe you have a fine line on your forehead and you want it to disappear? Perhaps you think slathering layer after layer of a product over your problem areas will make them look better faster.

It’s a common skincare mistake. However, you can have too much of a good thing. Using too much of a product won’t make your skin look better sooner. It’s just a waste of product, and can even negatively affect your skin. For instance, if you struggle with pilling, this could be because you’re using too much. 

#3. Not Cleansing Your Skin

You may think all you really need is moisturizer and sunscreen and you’re good to go. Or maybe you think you only need to wash your face in the morning or only at night. However, you should be washing your face day and night. You don’t want to overdo it, of course, as washing your skin too often could dry it out. 

Washing your face at night removes leftover sunscreen and any dirt and oils that built up on your skin during the day. Washing your face in the morning removes the sweat from while you were sleeping (yes, we sweat when we sleep!), as well as any oil and impurities from your bedding. 

#4. Applying Products In The Wrong Order

Many people make the skincare mistake of applying products in the wrong order. You can usually tell when you’re doing this, as the products won’t work well together or you may struggle with pilling. In order to ensure that everything soaks in, you want to go from lightest to heaviest. So, serums before creams, water-based products before oil-based products. 

It also helps to give each product time to soak in before you jump into the next step of your routine. If you apply one product right after another, you could still end up feeling like they’re on top of your skin, rather than helping it. Simply taking a minute or two between steps can make the products more effective. 

#5. Rubbing Product In Instead Of Patting It On

Did you know that rubbing your face can lead to premature aging? Many people make the skincare mistake of rubbing products in instead of patting them on. It’s easy to make, as this isn’t something that you immediately see the effects of. However, in time, this causes friction and stretches out the skin, leaking to wrinkles and sagging. 

Patting is gentler on your skin. It also helps you to avoid using too much product. When you rub skincare on instead of patting it in, it takes product away from your face, which can be a waste.

#6. Skipping The Sunscreen

One of the most common skincare mistakes people make is skipping sunscreen. People generally believe that you only need sunscreen if you’re going to be out hiking or on a beach. People also think that only people with fair skin need to put sunscreen on since they burn.

However, you should be wearing sunscreen every day, even if it’s overcast and you’re not going outside, even if you have darker skin. This is because cloudy or not, UV rays can still reach your skin. To prevent premature aging and the risk of skin conditions like skin cancer, ensure that you always wear sunscreen. 

#7. Letting Skincare Products Expire

Like makeup, many people don’t realize that skincare can expire. How long have you been holding onto that sunscreen? In general, unopened products have a shelf life of anywhere from 1 to 3 years. Most opened skincare expires within a year and loses its effectiveness. 

How long your skincare lasts depends on how it’s stored, too. You need to be careful storing products with Vitamin C, for example, as it can oxidize. 

#8. Dialing Back When You See Results

It can be oh-so-tempting to assume that once you see results, this means you can stop doing what you were doing. It happens with medications, with many a psychiatrist pleading with their patients to please continue taking their medication even if they feel fine. It happens with skincare, too.

Of course, this depends on what treatments you were using and why. You wouldn’t continue to use spot treatments if you don’t have pimples, after all. Your dermatologist will be able to help you determine what you should and should not be doing for your skin to keep it healthy. 

#9. Not Seeking The Advice Of Skincare Experts

One of the most common skincare mistakes people make is not going to a dermatologist or skincare expert. Instead, they end up wasting money trying all these different products in order to figure out what works and what doesn’t. A dermatologist will be able to tell you what your skin needs and provide you with specific recommendations. 

Do You Know What Your Skin Needs?

Allen-Taintor Dermatology is here to help you take care of your skin! If you need help figuring out what your skin needs, schedule an appointment and let us help you determine its specific needs. Contact us today to learn more.