Sun Spots
'Sun spots' or 'age spots' are more correctly called solar lentigines.
They are localised, flat, brown patches which appear on the skin during adult life. They can be irregular in outline, are often multiple and may be more than 1 cm in diameter.
They are caused by cumulative exposure to the ultra-violet light from the sun over the years and therefore the more sun exposure you have had in your lifetime, the more likely they are to appear.
They represent areas of DNA damage in the skin caused by the sun.
The pigment cells begin to behave abnormally and produce too much brown pigment (melanin) in the damaged area.
They are permanent and therefore will not disappear on their own once they have developed.
However, they may appear to become darker if you have recently been exposed to the sun and may fade somewhat during the Winter.
It is very important that the diagnosis is correctly made before any treatment is undertaken, as their appearance can be very similar to a dangerous form of skin cancer called melanoma, or to a similar serious condition called lentigo maligna.
A careful examination of the sun spots must therefore be undertaken by an experienced medical doctor and if there is any possibility that they may be cancerous, you will be referred urgently to a hospital plastic surgery department so that they can be excised and examined in detail under the microscope.
If there is no suspicion of skin cancer, they can be treated in the clinic.
They are best treated with a localised medical skin peel which needs to be at least medium in depth in order to successfully eradicate them.
The surrounding skin is often treated with a lighter skin peel at the same time in order to give an even overall result.
They can sometimes be difficult to eradicate with one treatment and may need to be treated more than once.
There will be a few days of 'downtime' following treatment when a dark, dry scab will form on the treated area of skin.
After several days, this will peel off revealing fresh, paler skin underneath.
This will be a little red at first but will gradually fade to normal colour.
There is a small risk of permanent loss of pigmentation in the treated area, but with care and experience, this risk can be minimised.
Careful sun avoidance and sun protection whenever outdoors is very important after treatment.
An alternative treatment which may be suitable in some cases is Amelan® Pigmentation Treatment.
An initial consultation with the Doctor is important prior to any treatment to allow for examination, to decide on the best treatment and to discuss what results may be achieved.
