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As we age, unsightly blemishes, commonly called age spots or liver spots, can appear on our face and on the back of our hands. Another upsetting change for many mature adults is the loss of smoothly contoured hands. At our clinic, we can improve these stressful conditions safely and effectively. Below are some of most commonly asked Question and Answer you might want to know about Sun Spots:
- How are youthful contours restored to the hands?
- Are liver spots cancerous?
- Can liver spots be prevented?
- How are liver spots treated?
- How are youthful contours restored to the hands?
At the Joyce Lim Clinic, we offer different types of treatment for our patients.
Liver spots (also called lentigines or lentigos) are rounded brown or black flat patches of skin. The epidermis (top surface layer) is expanding with more pigment, developing what looks like a large freckle. It can appear by itself, or in a group.
Generally liver spots are hereditary in nature, and it also occurs in people who spend a lot of time in the sun.
The spots are not cancerous, nor do they lead to cancer. However, on skin exposed to the sun, they may be accompanied by pre-cancerous scaly, red elevations of the skin called actinic keratoses. Sometimes dark spots, which look like liver spots, may actually become cancerous. If you have any blemishes, you should come in for a dermatologic evaluation
Although you cannot do anything about heredity, you can limit your exposure to the sun. This precaution will also help minimize the threat of skin cancer as well as protect your skin from sun damage. If you often have to go into the sun, you should protect your skin by a sunscreen having minimum SPF of 15.
We can treat liver spots in our clinic. Results are usually good, and can be permanent if a sunscreen is used continuously after removal.
Some common treatments are:
Bleaching creams and alpha-hydroxy acids
These are topical applications prescribed by the physician to fade small spots. Treatment normally takes anywhere from two months or longer.
Here, we will freeze your skin tissue with liquid nitrogen to remove liver spots and skin growths.
A chemical solution is applied to peel away the blemished skin. The face and hands usually heal in one to two weeks.
The skin is sanded lightly with a special instrument to remove the spot. Upon healing, which normally takes a week or so, the liver spot is gone.
A beam of laser light is directed at the liver spots to selectively eliminate the damaged skin.
The skin of the backs of the hands can be improved by a technique called microlipoinjection, a form of soft tissue filler. A tiny syringe is used to remove a small amount of your fat from another part of your body, such as the buttocks or the thigh. The fat is then injected into the back of the hands and molded to restore a youthful contour.
Since one's own fatty tissue is used, there is little risk of the body's rejecting it. |
