Hyperpigmentation/Age Spots in Phoenix

People use many terms to describe hyperpigmentation: sunspots, age spots, liver spots, solar lentigines, etc. No matter which term you use, most likely are you are not describing hyperpigmentation in a positive light. These brown, red or gray spots are a clear sign that you have accumulated years of sun damage, which ages your overall appearance. 

The sun may seem inescapable when you live in Arizona, but you do not have to resign yourself to having scattered dark spots on your skin. If you would like to restore an even pigmentation to your skin by diminishing age spots, Arizona Oculoplastic Specialists offers multiple non-surgical skin treatments that can help.

What Causes Hyperpigmentation?

Although hyperpigmentation is linked to getting older, UV exposure is predominately responsible for this phenomenon. As the sun rays damage your skin, your skin produces extra melanin, the substance that gives your skin its color. When this excess melanin clumps together, it creates dark spots on your skin. They are most likely to appear on your face, shoulders and hands — areas that receive the most unprotected sun exposure. 

Other factors that can contribute to hyperpigmentation include:

• Genetics (hence people born with freckles)
• Hormone fluctuations (especially during pregnancy, puberty, menopause or while on birth control pills)
• Vitamin deficiency (especially B12 and folic acid)
• Adrenal or thyroid disorders

Your best bet for preventing hyperpigmentation is to avoid the sun whenever possible and wear sunscreen when daily. If you already have sunspots on your body, then cosmetic treatments are the best way to improve these spots.

Age Spot Treatments

Dr. Ali Ghafouri and his team of outstanding medical aestheticians often recommend photofacial IPL (intense pulsed light) therapy to patients who want to minimize hyperpigmentation. This is a laser treatment that reaches the melanin-producing cells beneath the skin. The heat from this treatment destroys the overactive cells, pushing the pigmentation to the surface of the skin where it can then flake off. Simultaneously, it can also tackle issues like enlarged pores and rosacea.

IPL therapy is appropriate for most skin types and is gentle enough to not require much downtime. As long as you can tolerate having some skin redness (usually resembling a sun burn), you are free to resume normal work and social activities.

Another good option is ResurFX™. This is a fractional, non-ablative laser that improves the tone and texture of skin. Because it boosts collagen and elastin production, ResurFX is primarily performed to address wrinkles and skin laxity, but it is also successful at improving hyperpigmentation.

Finally, chemical peels, especially TCA (trichloroacetic acid) peels, can remove the outermost layers of the skin with sun damage, allowing the body to regenerate more evenly toned skin in its place.

Meet with Arizona’s Best Aesthetic Team

For most people, hiding away from the sun is not a life well-lived. If you have experienced your share of sun damage, there is no shame in turning to cosmetic procedures to help address age and liver spots. At Arizona Oculoplastic Specialists, our experts will customize a treatment plan that addresses hyperpigmentation and any other skin imperfections you would like to correct. Call (480) 905-1010 to schedule a consultation.