What are the treatments for age spots?

What are the treatments for age spots?

Though age spots do not require treatment, some people choose to treat them for cosmetic purposes. Many of these treatments are effective at fading the spots or making them disappear. Options include:

• Topical creams: Skin-lightening creams (such as hydroquinone) and tretinoin (retinoic acid) can be applied to the age spot daily and are available with and without a prescription. Used together, they gradually lighten the age spot over a few months. Make sure that you are not using a product that contains mercury.
• Skin resurfacing: A dermatologist uses a laser (laser resurfacing) or a chemical solution (chemical peel) to remove the upper layers of the skin. About a week after treatment, the skin peels off, revealing skin that has a more even tone and fewer wrinkles.
• Cryosurgery: Using liquid nitrogen, a dermatologist freezes the age spot. This treatment causes the skin to peel away, and the age spot fades.
• Dermabrasion: A dermatologist uses an instrument to sand off and smooth away the age spot. New skin grows in about a week.