Have you ever stared at a young child’s face, admiring the beauty of their skin? Youthful skin is uniform in color, bright, reflects light and is smooth in texture.
After years of ultra-violet light exposure from the sun, most of us will start showing skin damage. The symptoms typically begin to appear in our 30’s. Even if we have been adamant as an adult at applying protective sunscreens and clothing, most of the sun damage we have acquired is the result of our first 20 years of life. Unfortunately, the pigment or melanin that develops can be unsightly, stubborn and hidden under many skin layers, ready to emerge whenever it’s ready.
Typical signs of sun damage and aging include dull skin, uneven tone and texture, and age or sun spots.
Age spots are flat, brown-black spots that usually appear on the skin in sun-exposed areas such as the face, backs of hands, chest, forearms and shoulders. Usually these brown spots are benign or non-cancerous, although they can be mistaken for more serious conditions such as skin cancer, particularly melanoma. It is important to have these checked regularly, continue to wear sunscreen and protective clothing and report any changes to your health care provider.
With state-of-the-art laser/light technology it is possible to improve or even eliminate age spots, even out skin tone, and smooth skin texture for most patients. Recent studies have found that most people treated with BroadBand Light technology for sun damage and aging have repaired DNA, often resulting in a younger appearance. These treatments may also help to prevent you from developing further damage in the future.