The Steps to Spotless Skin

While some learn to love those tiny brown spots on the tip of the nose, cheeks and shoulders, others look for anything to fade freckled skin. Thankfully, you can lighten unwanted freckles and spots instead of just covering them up with makeup. And, obtaining brighter, smoother, spot-free skin may be easier than you think.

Protect and Prevent

With a medical name like ephelides, it’s no surprise that freckles get a bad rap. While “simple freckles,” the tiny brown spots on your skin you have had since birth, are harmless, lentigines, or “sunburn freckles,” need to be taken more seriously. Usually larger in size, more red in color and with an irregular border, these spots are sure signs of sun damage. No matter how old you were when you first noticed your freckles, sun exposure can only make them darker and greater in number. The easiest way to prevent freckles from forming is by using sunscreen.

Zap Away

For serious long-term freckle fading, laser resurfacing can lighten and retexturize. Unlike chemical peels and microdermabrasion, which just exfoliate. Pigment-specific lasers, like the Q-switched, Alexandrite and Nd: YAG systems, specifically destroy pigment in the epidermis and dermis to eliminate discoloration with minimal side effects. Fractional resurfacing lasers, like Fraxel, poke tiny holes into the skin to deliver a dose of controlled heat to the deeper layers, eliminating freckles from the inside out. Not a laser, but similar in terms of results, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) uses broadband light to diminish freckles. Not all lasers are alike, so it’s important your doctor diagnoses your skin accurately prior to treatment.

The Kopelson Clinic offers a myriad of advanced dermatological treatments and procedures, Dr. Kopelson and his staff provide personalized clinical suggestions and cosmetic dermatology services to customize each patient’s specific medical and cosmetic concerns.

Click here or contact The Kopelson Clinic to schedule an appointment today.