As with most skin damage, age spots are brought out by exposure to the sun. Traditionally, approaches to removing age spots have been destructive to the lesion and the surrounding skin. In the past, patients wanting to remove the dark pigmented lesions endured cryotherapy that froze the spot or mild acid lotions that burned the spot. This is especially important for patients wanting to remove age spots from their face.
Lasers work to selectively remove the pigment containing cells of each lesion.
Unlike the more destructive therapies, lasers have numerous benefits that include a relatively bloodless surgery and improved therapeutic results. The Diode laser is commonly used because it can successfully perform the removal with limited side effects. Most age spots can be removed with only one outpatient treatment, however difficult removals may require two or three treatments. Results of age spot removal treatments can be permanent if a broad-spectrum sunscreen is used every day. There is minimal change to the patient's skin after a laser treatment so most often they heal quickly with little downtime.