Commonly known as ‘liver spots’, sun spots (solar lentigos) are the bane of many sun worshippers. These brown macules are caused by an over-production of melanin because of excessive sun exposure.

Unfortunately, the bad ways of your youth will manifest in later years as sun spots. With age, they increase in number and tend to stay. Smooth and flat sun spots are harmless, but unsightly. Those that are raised and rough should be assessed by a dermatologist as they may be a precursor to cancer.

Sun spots typically appear on the face, chest, legs, arms and dorsal hands. As common as brown sun spots are, white spots also occur. White spots are hypopigmented lesions which means that the sun has stripped the skin of its pigment. This can’t be reversed.

But help is at hand. This is what you can do.

TREATING SUN SPOTS

Sunscreen

Apply sunblock twice daily, 30 minutes before going outside. If you’ve been swimming, reapply your sun block immediately. Wear protective clothing (long sleeves) and a wide brimmed hat. But importantly, avoid the sun during the peak times of 10am to 4pm.

Topical lightening creams

Some are available over the counter. Creams that contain kojic acid, licorice, mulberry extract and vitamin C are said to be effective. Stronger creams containing hydroquinone and retinol require a prescription.

Liquid nitrogen

It’s a cost-effective, quick and often effective treatment, especially for rough and raised sun spots. Liquid nitrogen may, however, leave a white mark.

Chemical peels

Gentle fruit acid peels will lighten sun spots and even out the skin colour with time. Rather do this treatment in winter.

Laser Therapy

A variety of lasers may be used on smooth, flat sun spots. As such, the laser will shatter the melanin production and initially the sun spots will appear dark before fading. Winter is a good time for this treatment.

Topical creams available from Lasermed to lighten sun spots:

Neostrata: Enlighten Range; Skin Tech: Blending Cream, Atrofillin; Obagi: Pro C Serum, Exoderm, Exoderm Forte, Blend FX; Zone: Day and Night Creams; Avéne: D-Pigment Cream

Lasermed stocks these sunblocks:

Heliocare, Photoderm, Skin Tech Melablock, Obagi Professional C, Avéne

Being on holiday doesn’t mean that skincare takes a back seat. In fact, with time on your hands, follow these best practices.

Always use skin products for your particular skin type. An oily skin has different needs to those of a dry skin. When cleansing, respect the natural balance of your skin with a pH-neutral make-up remover such as Bioderma Hydrabio H₂O cleanser. The eye area is particularly fragile, so use a gentle routine for this area.

Exfoliate at least once a week. Choose a product which smooths and purifies the skin while maintaining its natural balance – NeoStrata Skin Active Exfoliating Wash is wonderful.

Use an antioxidant serum to fight free radicals. Obagi Professional-C Serum is a daily Vitamin C antioxidant that improves signs of photo-ageing by helping to smooth texture, even skin tone, stimulate collagen synthesis and improve pigmentation. It helps to reduce inflammation of the skin and gives the skin a youthful radiance. The 10% concentrated formulation is for dry, sensitive, reactive skins.

Use a moisturiser which balances the level of water within the skin. Obagi Hydrate Moisturiser locks in moisture and hydration for up to 8 hours.

To avoid the risk of allergies, choose hypoallergenic make-up which meets the needs of all skin and eye types.

A good night cream is always a good idea, allowing the product to work while you sleep. NeoStrata® Bionic Lotion is a light-weight, exfoliating face and body lotion. It contains multiple skin conditioners that gently exfoliate and provide soothing hydration without irritation or the richness of a normal cream. It has been clinically shown to improve dryness, redness, and flaking associated with eczema.

When you need to cool down after sport or a hectic day, you can’t get any better than Avène Thermal Spring Water spray. It’s a refreshing, soothing spritzer. Use for facial redness, sunburn, skin irritation, nappy rash, during sport or travel and after make-up removal, shaving and hair removal.

Finally, don’t forget the sunscreen! Use daily, whatever the season and re-apply regularly. The Heliocare sunscreens are classified as advanced anti-ageing photo-immunoprotectants. You can’t go wrong with one of these.

All products available at Lasermed. Happy holidays!

In the hands of professional laser operators, such as our team at Lasermed, Dermapen Advanced Microneedling is an extremely effective treatment for reversing, as well as preventing signs of ageing. The micro-injuries created by rolling a roller with tiny needles across the skin stimulates the body’s natural wound healing processes, resulting in cell turnover and increased collagen and elastin production.

Microneedling actually works the same way lasers do, only the skin is being injured mechanically instead of using heat or light. So these micro-punctures enhance the absorption of skincare products and plump the skin simultaneously. And the resultant increase in collagen production minimises fine lines and acne scarring over time. In fact, a study has found that microneedling may be as helpful lasers and other resurfacing devices for reducing acne scars.

Experts reckon it’s also a great option for minimising stretch marks. What happens is that microneedling improves the colour and appearance of stretch marks by creating tiny pinhole injuries in the stretch mark itself. When the skin subsequently produces new collagen, the broken dermal layer is filled. As the dermal layer expands, the colour fades because the skin thickens and the blood vessels that give early stretch marks their pinkish-purple colour, retreat.

The ability to stimulate growth of collagen and elastin is probably the number one benefit of microneedling. Reason being that both collagen and elastin are key to new, youthful-looking skin. This is then also why many medical professionals recommend microneedling: using the body’s own natural healing mechanisms, thus providing natural results.

Said Lasermed’s Alta van der Merwe, “The final verdict is that this is an excellent maintenance treatment for people who are trying to stave off the signs of ageing.”