Sun Spots and Damage
Your skin says a lot about you, but as you age, you may no longer like the message it sends. Common issues like sun spots, freckles, hyperpigmentation and other discolorations can tarnish your complexion and worsen over time, compounded by a lifetime of exposure to the sun, stress and environmental damage.
Fortunately, you can rejuvenate your skin with non-invasive treatment options that eliminate discoloration. Depending on your concerns and goals, the team at the Appearance Care Center in San Francisco can recommend the right procedures for helping you reclaim an even, youthful complexion with little to no downtime.
What Causes Dark Spots?
Hyperpigmentation is caused by an increase in melanin. Melanin is the pigment that gives our skin color and acts as a natural shield against harmful UV rays. Some of the most common types of discoloration are:
- Hyperpigmentation
- Age spots
- Sun damage
- Freckles
- Birthmarks
- Dark circles
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation
How Does the Sun Cause Hyperpigmentation?
When we are exposed to the sun or a tanning bed, melanin increases, creating a tan. Excessive sun exposure disrupts this process, leading to hyperpigmentation where melanin is clumped or produced in high concentrations. Sun exposure can also worsen existing sun spots by making them darker.
Sun spots, also known as age spots or liver spots, are small, flat, darkened patches of skin caused by ultraviolet (UV) light exposure. They frequently appear on areas of the body exposed to sunlight or tanning beds, including the face, shoulders, chest, arms and hands. Sun spots are especially common in adults over 50.
Treatments for Unwanted Pigmentation
These problems can affect all skin types but are hard to address with over-the-counter products. Professional-grade treatments like intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT) can more effectively reduce discoloration by targeting the source of the problem, restoring a clear, healthy complexion without surgery or downtime.
To eliminate dark circles beneath the eyes, we recommend Auriderm, a patented formula that strengthens the walls of the capillaries to minimize discoloration and reduce the appearance of reddish-blue hues. Auridem can also help with bruising, rosacea and spider veins.
