How Can I Remove White Sun Spots?

a very common problem and tough to treat (idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis)- generally- we use IPL to homogenize the color in the region  and then we can spot treat very carefully the white spots with an erbium YAG laser- a test post for a white spot is helpful!

There are several conditions which can cause hypopigmentation, or white spots, on the skin. If these are truly related to sun damage, unfortunately there are not any good treatment options to replace the lost pigment in these areas. Sometimes, the use of intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy can help reduce the darker color around the white spots in order to help them blend in with the surrounding skin, thus appearing less noticeable. I would recommend seeking evaluation with a board-certified dermatologist to establish the proper diagnosis in order to provide the appropriate treatment. In any case, it is always important to remember to use sunscreen daily in order to prevent further sun damage.
Best wishes,

The issue you are describing can have multiple diagnosis and each can be treated differently. It would be important to be check by a Certified Dermatologies. Some of the causes can be treated but specifically White Sun Spots (idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis), its a very difficult problem to treat currently there is no good treatment for it. I would recommend to you to use sunscreen regularly, specially living in Florida to prevent that type of lesion or other to continue to affect you skin. 
Hope this helps, 
Dr. RG

Thank you for your question. Hypopigmentation from sun damage is challenging to treat. I would recommend consulting with a Board Certified Dermatologist for safest and best treatment options. I hope this helps.

White sun spots may be a yeast infection called tinea versicolor or keratoses or burned out cells etc...  See your derm doc and they will fix you up.  sincerely,

dr hansen

White sun spots cannot be removed because they are a loss of pigment. The best thing to do is to try and fade the pigment around them.

White spots on the skin can be many things - several of them are mentioned above (tinea versicolor, seborrheic keratoses, vitiligo, etc).  The sun can cause darkening of the skin (freckles or lentigines) as well as lightening of the skin.  These white spots, or loss of pigment, are called idiopathic hypomelanosis.  Although they cannot be reversed, using sunscreen is important to prevent further damage.  A board certified dermatologist can evaluate the spots.

First, make sure to be evaluated by a dermatologist to assess whether you have a skin fungus called tinea versicolor. If the white spots are predominantly on the shins and forearms, then you have idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis which is a type of sun damage and is not correctable.

It is very important to be evaluated by a board certified dermatologist to have a diagnosis rendered for the "white sun spots."  There are many clinical entities which may appear as "white sun spots" ranging from macular hypopigmented seborrheic keratoses to idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis.  The former can be treated with liquid nitrogen whereas sun protection is necessary for the latter.

Although it is impossible to remove the "white spots" that result from excessive sun exposure over the years, it is sometimes possible to camouflage them by improving the dark areas that surround them.  Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) also called the Photofacial, can be used on the face, chest, back of hands and arms to treat the entire sun damaged area.  This fades the darkened background color of the area, making the white spots blend in much better.  Sun protection before and after the procedures is imperative for safe and effective treatments.

Hope that helps!

Madeline Kraus, M.D.