How can I get rid of age spots?

I am guilty of not using proper skin protection from the sun..ok, i actually tanned every day of my 20s and 30s!!! So now I need to know what to do about age spots on my face.  Also seeing age spots on hands and maybe even my legs.  What can I do to get rid of these spots?

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7 answers to “How can I get rid of age spots?”

A: How to remove age spots

Steven Hacker, MD

I think before answering this question we need to define "Age spots". As this is not a term physicians use, thus it is important to know precisely what type of lesion is being called an "age spot" by a consumer- for instance a solar lentigine is a flat tan to brown spot most often called an... more

A: Age spots can be reduced through many means

Philip Young, MD

Age spots can be removed and reduced with lasers and intense pulse light. CO2 resurfacing can take most sun spots away that are at a certain depth. Deeper spots can be removed with different lasers such as ND YAG, Intense pulse light, alexandrite, ruby lasers.  CO2 resurfacing has some down time and... more

A: Getting rid of Sunspots in 4 Easy Steps

Robert M. Freund, MD

The four steps to beautiful skin; 1- Good Sunblock - Always use a zinc oxide based sunblock. It has broader UVA and UVB coverage than anything else. It works immediatley upon application, not the case with avobenzone based products. It does not have estrogen mimetic effects like avobenzone based products. It... more

A: How to Get Rid of Age Spots

Kris M. Reddy, MD

There are a number of treatments that can be used in isolation or in conjunction. Lasers such as Fraxel provide gradual improvement for age spots. Hydroquinone creams such as Obagi provide excellent results for many patients. A good sunscreen is a must. The important aspect is to be under the care of a... more

A: You want to fade the spots that you can see now, prevent...

Jordana S. Gilman, MD

You want to fade the spots that you can see now, prevent them from coming back, and also limit the number that appear in the future. To treat the brown spots you have, creams and lotions containing hydroquinone will give you the best results. Kojic acid is another ingredient that can be helpful, but it is... more

A: Pigment can be removed by a number of lasers - the...

Dr David Gault

Pigment can be removed by a number of lasers - the Erbium YAG, the Nd YAG, Alexandrite, Carbon Dioxide - and the new PSR3 (plasma skin resurfacing) technology, but the correct one depends on your skin type, the type of pigmentation, the area, the colour and the depth at which it lies in the skin. Choose a... more

A: I actually just completed a study with the Good...

David Goldberg, MD

I actually just completed a study with the Good Housekeeping Institute that tested several products claiming to reduce the appearance of age spots. Of the five products that we tested, Murad’s Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Gel performed the best, with Good Skin’s All Bright Spot Treatment coming... more

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