Page 5 - September2019

Liver Spots ~ Age Spot Treatment COMMUNITY EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT
Computer workshops every Saturday
~OPEN TO THE PUBLIC and ALL age levels
Understanding and Tackling Age Spots are accompanied by itching, redness, tenderness ~Practical hands on learning and experience inter-generational
Dermatologist Dr. Meryl Joerg with or bleeding,” she says. “Age spots can resemble ~Fun event with snacks
Advanced Dermatology PC with tips on treating cancerous growths, but age spots don’t actually ~Bring your own devices: Smartphones, laptops, iPad, etc
these unsightly and embarrassing spots need treatment – unless you want your age spots Free parking behind building on 16th Street
Few people are overjoyed with the aging to disappear or become less noticeable.” Costs: donations encouraged and needed to help cover materials used
process, but even less so if age spots show Time: 9:00 am to 12 noon
up. Fortunately, a wide variety of treatment Tips for treatment and prevention Address: 1850 E. 17th St. #103, Website: youthonthemove.net
options can remove these pesky-but- Treatment for age spots fall under two main Santa Ana, CA 92705 Email: iehof2015@gmail.com
harmless dark areas on your skin. categories: topical creams and lotions, or Call: Dr. Pat Adelekan, 714-628-9844
Colloquially called or also known as liver procedures. Topical medications can include
spots, though the liver isn’t involved in their prescription-strength bleaching creams used
development, age spots or solar lentigos alone or with retinoids and a mild steroid. Other
typically appear on areas of the body that are fade creams and lotions are available over-the-
most exposed to the sun. Commonly affected counter and may include hydroquinone, glycolic
areas include the face, chest, back of hands, acid or kojic acid, Dr. Joerg says.
shoulders, arms and tops of the feet. Adults If you desire a more aggressive approach to
over 50 are most likely to get them, but age get rid of your age spots, procedures that may
spots can occur in younger adults as well – help include:
especially those who spend a lot of time in · Fractional laser resurfacing: these
the sun. procedures break apart the lentigos and the
“These flat, round, oval or irregular areas skin’s surface with a “controlled damage”
of increased pigmentation result from an technique and allow for new skin to fill in and
increased number of melanocytes, the cells repair the surface layer of the skin, where age
that contain melanin that give skin its color,” spots occur.
Dr. Joerg explains. “Solar lentigos vary in · Laser and intense pulsed light therapy:
size and can appear tan to brown or even These therapies destroy melanin-producing cells
black. They can sometimes cluster together in the skin responsible for age spots but don’t
becoming more obvious. Although these are damage the skin’s surface.
harmless, they are a sign of sun damage and · Freezing, also called cryotherapy: Liquid
these patients should be checked for skin nitrogen or another freezing agent is applied to
cancer on a regular basis. Some patients are the skin to destroy excess pigment.
embarrassed by these sun spots and · Chemical peel: An acid is applied to the
fortunately we have many ways to decrease skin that destroys the epidermis where the
their appearance.” pigment is.
All age spot procedures typically require
Risk factors for age spots more than one treatment to maximize the
They’re more common in people with effects, Dr. Joerg notes. And all necessitate
light skin, but age spots can show up on any patients to rigorously control their sun exposure
skin tone. What are some other risk factors to help prevent age spots from recurring.
for developing them? According to Dr. Joerg, But whether you’ve lightened your age spots
these include: using home treatments or in-office procedures,
· Using commercial tanning lamps or avoiding the sun is key. Dr. Joerg stresses the
tanning bed necessity of wearing sunscreen, hats, and sun
· Being exposed to the sun frequently protective clothing to avoid a recurrence of the
or for long periods sun spots and to protect against skin cancer.
· History of sunburns “Common-sense measures can help you stop
Of course, risk factors for age spots happen new age spots from forming,” she says. “Avoid
to overlap with risk factors for developing the sun between 10 am and 2 pm, use sunscreen
melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer. religiously and cover up when you’re outdoors.
Age spots aren’t the same thing and don’t We can’t stop ourselves from aging, but we can
lead to melanoma, but it’s wise to have any hinder age spots from developing and giving
skin changes seen by a doctor, Dr. Joerg away our age.”
advises. A biopsy will be done if a spot
seems suspicious, though doctors can Meryl Joerg, M.D., is board certified dermatologist
accurately diagnose most age spots just by with Advanced Dermatology P.C.
looking at them or by using a dermatoscope, Advanced Dermatology P.C. and the Center for
a handheld device that magnifies and Laser and Cosmetic Surgery (New York & New
enhances skin lesions. Jersey) is one of the leading dermatology centers in the
“You should especially watch out for spots nation, offering highly experienced physicians in the
that have an irregular border; are darkly fields of cosmetic and laser dermatology as well as
pigmented; are rapidly growing in size; plastic surgery and state-of-the-art medical
include an unusual combination of colors; or technologies.www.advanceddermatologypc.com.
September 2019 5