Once I Have Age Spots, Is There Anything I Can Do To Remove Them?

June 1, 2009 -- Question: Once I have age spots, is there anything I can do to remove them?

Answer: Once you develop age spots there are certain treatments that can help improve their appearance and help them to fade. You can come to the dermatologist's office and we can give you topical medicines that contain an acid called tretinoin or that contain vitamin C and E, used in combination. Also, in the dermatologist's office we can treat your age spots with a product we call liquid nitrogen. This is a light, freezing process that helps the pigment normalize.

There are certain lasers that we use in the dermatology office that can help improve the appearance of age spots, and there are chemical peels which are mild that can also do the same. With regards to age spots I like to tell my patients that prevention is worth a pound of cure and that prevention is actually the best treatment for age spot development. This includes using a sunscreen when outdoors and trying to avoid ultraviolet light.

If you're concerned about vitamin D supplementation, simply do so in a well-rounded diet or with a vitamin. And, of course, smoking is bad for your overall health, but it's also very important for the health of your skin. And it also accelerates photoaging -- so please don't smoke and also try to avoid second- and third-hand smoke when possible.