Home and Clinic Options for Age Spots

Age spots send many Elk Grove readers to the pharmacy aisle before they consider a clinic. This page sets the two routes side by side, using what dermatology sources say about speed, cost and side effects.

The home route: creams and lotions

Medical News Today reports: "People can attempt to treat age spots at home using over-the-counter (OTC) topical creams and lotions. These products may help lighten the skin and cause the age spots to fade." It lists azelaic acid, glycolic acid, kojic acid, retinoid and vitamin C as ingredients that skin-lightening products may contain.

Note the wording "may help." It is not a promise of results, and the source gives no product, strength or schedule to follow.

The clinic route: procedures

The American Academy of Dermatology describes two types of treatment: creams and lotions, and procedures. It says: "Procedures, which include laser therapy and chemical peels, tend to work faster. Procedures also cost more and have a higher risk of causing side effects."

For the clinic side in more detail, a National Library of Medicine (PMC) article on physician-directed lasers, chemical peels and other noninvasive modalities walks through what a physician may use.

Where the home line sits

Speed is the reason to consider a procedure. Cost and side-effect risk are the reasons to hesitate. The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery keeps a page on photorejuvenation and other skin treatments that is worth reading before you book anything.

Names you will see for light treatments

Two light-based names come up often. Healthline explains BBL therapy and how it works, and WebMD gives an overview of intense pulsed light therapy. Treat both as background reading. Neither replaces an exam.

When to stop and ask a professional

Treat the home route as a cautious first step: an over-the-counter lightening product, used as its label directs. Ask a licensed professional if the spot does not fade, if you are weighing laser therapy or a chemical peel, or if you are unsure the mark is an age spot at all.