The only thing worse than the term “age spots” is “liver spots,” both of which are names for those dark spots that develop on your face and arms as you get older. Numerous age spots dotting your arms and face are a sign that your skin no longer has a youthful glow.
Staying out of the sun and being diligent with applying sunscreen can help prevent age spots from developing, but once they’re visible, only makeup can conceal them.
The good news is that an IPL photorejuvenation session at Los Gatos Dermatology can help make those unsightly brown marks disappear as well as help fade other skin imperfections such as fine lines and broken capillaries that are common as you get older. With one or more IPL sessions, we can help give your skin back its youthful glow.
IPL stands for intense pulse light. An IPL facial is also known as a photofacial or photorejuvenation. This pulsed light targets dark spots on your skin and emits heat energy deep under the skin to break up the pigment. It’s a safe and effective treatment that does not damage other parts of your skin.
An IPL facial can treat your face, neck, decollete, and hands. Because this treatment is noninvasive, there is no downtime or recovery time. You can have a procedure on your lunch hour and return to work or other daily activities immediately afterward. You may experience some slight redness, as if you have a sunburn, but that should subside within a couple of hours.
IPL is a suitable procedure for anyone looking to freshen up their appearance, but it’s especially useful for those wanting to rid themselves of brown spots. While IPL is beneficial to most skin types, fair people generally see the best results.
The treatment brings the brown spots to the surface of your skin, and they eventually turn dark and crusty. But don’t worry. These dark, crusty spots are a normal part of the IPL process. They soon fall away, leaving your skin smoother, clearer, and younger-looking.
Following your treatment, if you practice healthy skin habits such as using moisturizer and sunblock, you can expect the results to last a long time. Yearly maintenance treatments, though, can help your skin stay young and beautiful for the long term. Some people benefit from multiple initial treatments spaced a few weeks apart.
When you look in the mirror, do you see age spots that bother you? If so, call Dr. Bruce Saal at Los Gatos Dermatology.
