Sunspots & Sun Damage

What are Sunspots and Sun Damage?

Sunspots and sun damage, sometimes referred to as liver spots or age spots, are small, flat and dark areas on the skin. They typically show up on parts of the body that receive a lot of sun exposure such as the face, hands, arms and shoulders. Most common in older people, anyone can get them if they spend too much time exposed to the sun.

Signs and Symptoms of Sunspots

Sunspots are most common in adults with light skin but they can appear on anybody. Signs of sun damage include:

• Oval areas of darkened pigmentation
• Typically present in areas exposed to sun such as forehead or the tops of shoulders
• Marks that range in size from freckle-sized to 0.5 inches
• Marks that do not fade or disappear when skin is not exposed to sun

Different Types of Sun Damage

The cumulative effect of sun damage leads to varying physical changes to the skin. The descriptions below help identify what some of these changes can be:

• Lentigo: Flat brown spot, with a clearly defined border, often referred to as a “sunspot.”
• Poikiloderma: Brown pigmentation, redness and dilated blood vessels on the sides of the neck and chest.
• Telengiectasias: Dilation of small blood vessels commonly seen on the cheeks, nose, chin and chest.
• Actinic Keratoses (precancerous lesion): Persistent rough, scaly spots that appear on sun exposed areas due to years of sun exposure. A small percentage of these lesions left untreated can develop into skin cancer, especially squamous cell carcinoma.

What Causes Sunspots?

Sunspots or sun damage are caused by exposure to the UV light in the sun or in commercial tanning beds. This exposure causes the pigment cells in the skin to become overactive. Those with lighter skin tones or who have a history of sunburn or excess sun exposure are more likely to develop the condition.

Before and After Photos

AFTER TREATMENTS WITH LIMELIGHT AND HARMONY

AFTER 3 TREATMENTS WITH LIMELIGHT AND MICROPEN

AFTER TREATMENTS WITH VARILITE

PRE AND POST SERIES OF 3 TREATMENTS WITH IPL

BEFORE BRIGHTENING PEEL LEVEL 2 AND 6 WEEKS POST BRIGHTENING PEEL LEVEL 2

BEFORE BRIGHTENING PEEL LEVEL 2 AND 6 WEEKS POST BRIGHTENING PEEL LEVEL 2