Prevent & Reduce Sunspots Through Daily Skincare Habits & Treatments Over Time

“How do you get rid of sunspots?” This is one of the most common questions we hear from patients.  Sunspots are hyperpigmented areas on the skin caused by sun exposure over time. Depending on genetics, more sunspots arise as we age. With correct, consistent skincare use and possibly even professional in-office treatments, we are able to target these sun spots and remove or lighten them.  Let’s discuss daily habits and in-office options that help achieve radiate, even-toned skin!

By: Kristin Gaskins, NP

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The Foundation: Preventing New Sunspots 

Before we get into how to treat sunspots, let’s quickly discuss the importance of how to prevent new sunspots. Remember, prevention is key! A daily broad-spectrum SPF should be non-negotiable in every skincare routine. Some people skip SPF on cloudy days or days that they may be spending most of their time indoors, but this is a big mistake!  If you are going to be out in direct sun, sweating or swimming, then you will want to make sure you are reapplying your SPF every 2 hours. Wearing hats, sunglasses, UPF clothing and avoiding peak sun hours are also simple habits that can make a difference. 

Key Daily Skincare Habits to Fade Existing Sunspots 

Gentle Exfoliation

Using a gentle exfoliant can help remove some of the dead skin cells on the surface and this can help fade pigmentation fast. One caveat, it is important to avoid over-exfoliating, which can trigger inflammation and possibly more pigmentation depending on your skin type. So what are good examples of exfoliants to use? In the office, the AlphaRet line from SkinBetter Science contains a retinoid plus alpha hydroxy acids to help gently but effectively exfoliate the skin. These products would be considered chemical exfoliants. If you are looking for a physical exfoliant, ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Polish is another great option. This product is packed with magnesium crystals for overall brightening and smoothness. 

Tone & Prep Skin Properly

Depending on skin type, it can be important to adequately prep the skin so that some of the active ingredients listed above can work their best. The ZO Skin Health Complexion Renewal Pads are a great option for this. They help tone, clarify and refine the skin using salicylic and glycolic acids. 

Hydration & Repair

When using some of the active ingredients listed above, it is important to make sure that our skin barrier is hydrated and repaired. This is where using an appropriate moisturizer for your skin daily comes in. Again, this helps hydrate and supports the skin barrier.

Professional Treatments for Stubborn Sunspots 

Skin products are a great first step working towards lightening pigmentation, but deeper damage often requires deeper solutions. At Atalo Aesthetics, we offer proven treatments that can safely lift pigment and stimulate skin cell turnover in all skin tones. 

Chemical Peels

At Atalo Aesthetics, we offer the Vi Chemical Peels. These help improve texture, reduce visible sun damage utilizing a variety of acids providing a mild to medium-depth peel. Typically there is about 7-10 days of downtime from this treatment. 

• ViPeel: Learn about our chemical peels

Microneedling

Microneedling, also known as collagen-induction therapy, is a treatment that helps stimulate collagen over time and can even help break up superficial pigment over time. In addition to the treatment itself helping with pigment, we are able to apply serums on the skin that help brighten and improve pigmentation during the treatment. Platelet rich plasma can be added on to treatments to help accelerate results and improve healing. Plated Intense serum is also a great addition post treatment to improve healing and help with brown pigmentation. 

• Microneedling: Learn more about our microneedling services

Common Mistakes That Worsen Sunspots

Let’s talk about some common mistakes that can worsen pigmentation. 

• Skipping sunscreen or only applying sunscreen in the summertime. Remember sun exposure happens every single day even in the winter months. This simple step is going to protect your skin, prevent new sun spots and prevent current ones from worsening. 
• Over-exfoliating or combining too many actives. This can cause inflammation and irritation in the skin. Inflammation can result in post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. 
• Popping pimples or picking at skin. This can also result in inflammation and depending on your skin type can cause either post-inflammatory erythema (redness) or post-inflammatory hypertension and longer term scarring. 
• Not being consistent—pigmentation takes time to fade. This is a good reminder for us all. We live in an instant gratification world, but we need to give products and treatments time to work. 

Building Your Anti-Sunspot Routine 

We’ve gone over steps to help correct and prevent sunspots and hyperpigmentation, now let’s work through building a daily routine. 

In the morning, you want to apply your antioxidant/vitamin C, moisturizer and sunscreen. At night, you will use an exfoliant 2-3 times per week, a retinoid and a moisturizer. When starting active ingredients such as exfoliants and retinoids, you want to start slowly to avoid irritation and inflammation. Pairing a regular routine with in-office facials and treatments can help accelerate and improve your results.  Not sure where to start? Book a consultation with one of the providers at Atalo Aesthetics for a personalized skin care plan!

Consistency is Key with Sun Spots!

While it can seem very frustrating, preventing and fading sunspots and hyperpigmentation is possible with smart habits and the right support.  Make sure that you stick to your routine, invest in quality products and treatments and stay patient. Know that changes take time! Are you ready to get glowing? Explore more of our pigmentation-fighting skincare and professional treatments today!