Age spots, also known as sunspots or liver spots, can tarnish the finest of complexions.  So, before you are mistaken for someone twice your age, start shedding the light on these unsightly spots.

 

Despite their name, age spots have nothing to do with how old you are.  Known as lentigines on the medical circuit, the brownish spots can appear on your face and body, mainly due to overexposure to the sun as your body tries to fend off UV rays that can damage your glowing skin.  And, while the melanin pigment within your skin is responsible for absorbing sunlight, over time, repeat exposure to UV rays damages your skin and lowers your ability to produce melanin pigment.  Combined with your skin's waning ability to protect your body from the sun, as you age, your chances of developing signs of sun damage eventually rise.  This is why our once youthful look is suddenly blemished by age spots and sunspots.

 

Whether you detect a new age spot or are speckled with freckles, the telltale brown spots are signs that UV rays have damaged the melanocytes (the cells in the skin's surface layer).  Any time you notice a change in your skin, whether it is an age spot, pigmented lesion or any elevated spot on your skin, it is important not to assume that it is harmless.  As I have been trained to detect any characteristics of cancerous lesions, you can rest assured that both the health and safety of my patients are my primary concern.  However, if these hyperpigmented lesions are simply a cause and effect of overexposure to UV rays, the good news is that at Mooi you are able to turn back the clock on these sneaky spots using the top of the line medical grade equipment.

 

HOW DOES IS WORK?

 

Similar to the removal of vascular lesions, using the principle of selective photothermolysis, the treatment targets different chromophores in the skin, which selectively absorb the laser or light energy as heat and yield the desired response.  These optimal wavelengths of light clear the pigmented lesions by targeting the chromophores of melanin.  These damaged lesions are then cleared by the body, removing the appearance of the lesion from the skin.  The pigmented lesions may immediately appear darker after the procedure, but with eventually undergo a mild peeling or shedding within 2-3 days.