How much does it cost to remove age spots?

Age spot treatment cost

Happy hours spent at beaches on long summer days sadly come at a cost. Sunspots, also called age spots, liver spots or solar lentigines, are one of the signs of aging and overexposure to ultraviolet rays.

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What are Age Spots?

A look at how much treatment for age spots costs

Most commonly occurring on the face, hands, and shoulders, solar lentigines are formed when melanin collects in the upper layer of the epidermis and forms a flat brown spot. These spots are often round and dark in appearance. Age spots can form on their own or form a cluster. They appear mostly on parts of the body most frequently exposed to the sun. A recent survey of about 1,000 women done by one of the world’s largest beauty retailers showed that sunspots constitute women’s greatest aging worry after wrinkles, bothering about 36% of participants. However, the good news is they can be treated using a range of cutting edge methods.While true age spots pose no threat, they are sometimes confused with melanomas or skin cancers. If you begin to see age spots on your skin, talk to your dermatologist to look at them to ensure they are not cancerous. Once you have the all clear, age spots can be successfully decreased or even removed for good, leaving your skin rejuvenated and even-toned. Talk with a skin care expert can help you know the right treatment for you that will reduce or even remove age spots and leave you feeling and looking younger.

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Who do age spots affect?

These spots can affect both women and men; however, certain individuals are more likely to get them like:

• Those with lighter skin tones.
• People with a hereditary inclination to get age spots.
• Adults over 40, since melanin production in the skin, rises as you age.
• Younger people who while away in the sun or use tanning beds often.

How can they be cured?

While all dermatologists say that prevention is the best kind of treatment, the privilege of hindsight is not always practical for reversing existing damage. If you are self-conscious about your sunspots and have been considering treatment, there are a range of cosmetic procedures and products available that will eradicate them quickly and effectively. Make sure you consult a qualified skin care expert, like a dermatologist, plastic surgeon, and aestheticians.

Age Spot treatments

Here are the most popular and effective treatments offered by skin doctors.

Prescription Creams

There are many prescription skin bleaching lotions available that can help fade sunspots over time. Most creams have hydroquinone as the active ingredient. Age spots can disappear over several months with daily use of prescription creams, retinoids (such as tretinoin, a vitamin A derivative used for treating acne) and a mild steroid.Prescription creams must be applied together with sunscreen lotion (SPF 30 or higher), and you should avoid exposure to the sun as much as possible. Most dermatologists advise performing a patch test to ensure you are not allergic. These creams take time to work; they must be applied daily but not overused. Most people begin to see results after several months of consistent use.

Advantages:

• Prescriptions creams are affordable when compared to treatments like microdermabrasion or laser.
• Outcomes are subtle and gradual and improve with application over several months.
• Hydroquinone has been known to be effective on age spots. 

Disadvantages:

• Studies have shown that hydroquinone has carcinogenic qualities, can be toxic and mutagenic, with the likelihood of causing long term harm to your skin cells.
• Bleaching creams make the skin photosensitive.
• Creams may also trigger hyperpigmentation, skin irritation, itching, dryness, redness, and thickening of the skin.

Ideal candidates for prescription creams include: People who have light sun spots, or early signs of liver spots, may find these creams effective. Those looking for a gradual method of fading sunspots with no recovery period or downtime.Cost: Topical prescription creams usually cost between $50 and $200.

Microdermabrasion

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This method surgically sands or planes the outer layer of the skin, using a tool similar to a sandblaster equipped with a headpiece which sprays the skin with tiny mineral crystals. It has been proven to be effective against age spots, with the added benefit of smoothing fine lines and wrinkles, stimulating collagen and unclogging pores, giving the skin a more refreshed and bright look. Usually, a course of treatments is needed for the best results. One treatment takes about 30 to 60 minutes and can even be done during your lunch break. There is no downtime with this treatment.

Advantages:

• Pain and inflammation from microdermabrasion is minimal.
• New skin growth occurs within 5 to 8 days.
• Immediate improvement is visible in the skin’s tone and texture.
• The skin appears more radiant after a few treatments.
• Chances of infections and scarring are low.

Disadvantages:

• There may be some redness or skin irritation.
• It is more costly than topical treatments.
• The outcome depends on the skill of the dermatologist and their equipment.
• Many treatments may be needed to produce the desired result.
• Microdermabrasion is highly effective in treating age spots for some, but not for others.
• It doesn’t work as fast or effectively as laser or chemical peels.

Ideal candidates: Who have very light sunspots. Who prefer a minimally invasive form of treatment. Looking for even improvement across their skin, not only the removal of age spots.Cost: Treatment can cost anywhere between $75-$300 per session.

Cryosurgery

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Also used for the treatment of abnormal tissue like keloids and tumors, cryosurgery offers a quick and safe way of treating liver spots. Targeted spots are frozen with liquid nitrogen, the skin darkens and ultimately peels away. It can be used safely on any part of the body, even the face, and is a non-invasive treatment technique which needs little downtime.

Advantages:

• This treatment causes minimal discomfort.
• Treatment is administered fairly quickly.
• Normally only one course of treatment is needed.
• Insurance can cover the procedure if cryosurgery is done as a preemptive measure to remove a precancerous lesion.
• There is no downtime after administration of the liquid nitrogen and patients can resume their normal activities.

Disadvantages:

• Sometimes a permanent white scar can form where the sunspot has been burned off.
• Darker skin toned persons are at a higher risk of skin lightening.
• The skin can blister and crust as the epidermis dries and prepares to shed.
• There may be some redness and swelling.
• The places where liver spots have been treated will be apparent.
• In some cases, hair loss can occur if the lesion treated is on a site with coarse hair.

Ideal candidates: Most people are good candidates for cryotherapy. However, those with diabetes or circulatory problems with age spots on their lower legs, ankles, and feet may need to take extra care as healing can be prolonged and the risk of infection slightly higher.Cost: Averagely, cryosurgery costs somewhere between $500 and $900 per session. In some cases, health insurance may cover part of the cost.

Chemical Peels

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Although chemical peels embody a more invasive method of treating liver spots, they tend to produce better results in a shorter time frame than with topical creams or microdermabrasion. Chemical peels destroy age spots by applying a chemical solution which removes old skin. Your dermatologist can tailor-make customize the peel and determine the right peel depth for you by:

• The best chemical to use.
• Your skin’s sensitivity to the chemical.
• The amount of time the chemical should be left on your skin.
• Any pre-peel preparation that can be done to prime the skin, like microdermabrasion or application of retinoid creams.

Different parts of the face react differently to a chemical peel, with some places healing faster than others. Facial skin is more forgiving and resilient than the skin on the body.

Advantages:

• This treatment can even out uneven skin tone due to sunspots.
• Peels may spur new collagen production enhancing skin texture.
• Peels provide immediate, noticeable results after only one treatment.
• Peels are more affordable than other options.
• They can be customized to suit your skin.

Disadvantages:

• They can reactivate cold sores.
• There is a small chance of scarring.
• There can be a brief or permanent change of skin color, especially if you have been on oral contraceptives and get pregnant or if you are prone to getting facial discoloration.
• Redness may last anywhere from a day or two to several weeks, depending on the depth of the peel applied.
• Darker skin-toned people may heal with hyperpigmentation or blotchiness.
• It can cause acne and block pores.

Ideal candidates: Have light-colored skin and hair. Not have a history of heart problems, as phenol peels can pose a risk. Be good candidates for anesthesia, since, for some deeper peels, anesthesia is required. Be in a good state of physical health to facilitate quick healing.Cost: A light chemical peel can cost roughly $150, but deeper peels can cost up to $6,000.

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)

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IPL resurfaces photo-damaged skin through the gradual elimination of the sun-damaged layers, letting new healthy skin grow in its place. The treatment uses a device that emits a range of light waves that are attuned and targeted to decrease the melanin present in age spots. Good results can be obtained over 3 to 5 treatments, carried out at regular intervals fortnightly or three-week apart. IPL poses minimal risk and causes little discomfort. High-powered IPL treatments offer the best results but can be dangerous if handled incorrectly. Therefore, be cautious of IPL treatments offered by beauty salons as opposed to certified doctors.

Advantages:

• The skin gets a smoother, more even tone.
• Age spots reduce in shade with each treatment.
• Outcomes can be maintained with good skin care regimens and protection from the sun.
• IPL can be used on most areas of the body.
• The treatment spurs collagen production which improves the skin’s texture.

Disadvantages:

• Although some improvement should be seen with each treatment, results will take the full series of treatments over 3-5 months to become visibly apparent.
• Severe or dark age spots may need more sessions.
• Treatments can be time-consuming, taking anywhere between 30-90 minutes per session, depending on the size of the affected treatment area.
• Crusting of sunspots can happen, which may last up to 10 days.
• IPL can cause burns. To decrease this risk, be sure to go to a certified dermatologist or doctor rather than a beauty salon technician.

Ideal candidates: Should not be pregnant. Are those seeking sunspot treatment with no downtime. Should not have a history of complex scarring or hyperpigmentation. Should not diabetic.Cost: A single IPL treatment course costs anywhere between $300 and $500 on average. Usually, 3 to 5 treatments are required.

Non-Ablative Laser

Laser treatments represent major progress in the field of non-surgical skin revitalization and is becoming an increasingly popular way of treating liver spots and sun damage. Of the new kinds of laser treatments ready, non-ablative resurfacing lasers like Fraxel and Pixel offer a procedure which resurfaces parts of the skin without causing serious discomfort or long recovery periods.

Advantages:

• Most patients see a notable and immediate decrease in their sunspots after the first treatment.
• New collagen forms after the last treatment session so improvements can be expected 4 to 6 months after.
• Any pain caused by this treatment is tolerable, with most patients getting only a mild burning sensation.
• The lasers can be safely used on just about any part of the body with these spots.
• The skin will look brighter, fresher and more relaxed following the treatment.
• With annually scheduled treatments and care while out in the sun, results can be managed for years.

Disadvantages:

• Several treatments at three-week intervals are required for the best results.
• Outcomes may vary with lasers that penetrate the skin’s layers more deeply, like CO2 lasers.
• Darker skin toned or more tanned patients may get some darkening or lightening of the melanin following treatment. A patch test may be done on patients with darker skin tones.

Ideal candidates: Are aged between 30 to 50. Want a laser treatment for sunspots that need little to no downtime. Suffer from moderate sun damage and spots.Cost: Full face laser resurfacing can cost anywhere from $900 to $1,900, depending on whether eyelids are inclusive in the treatment. Full face resurfacing inclusive of the neck and cleavage area costs between $1,400 to $1,900.