What Are the Treatments for Sun Damaged Skin, Brown Spots and Freckles?

Skin that has been exposed to the sun too much can become damaged. The effects include increased pigmentation, freckles, brown spots and loss of skin tone. More worrisome is the development of skin cancer due to sun exposure. Milder damage such as freckles and brown spots are treatable. However, without sun protection they will reappear even after treatment.

Prevention

• It's important to understand why freckles and brown spots and other sun damage occurs and how to prevent it. Even once receiving treatment to correct sun damage, it is likely to reappear quickly if preventive measures are not taken. Consistent use of a strong sunscreen and avoiding being out during the most intense times of sun are crucial. While darker-skinned people have more melanin and greater protection against the sun, they can also experience sun damage. Those with fair skin, light eyes and light hair, however, are most at risk.

Anti-Aging Creams

• These topical applications contain ingredients such as hydroquinones or other things like antioxidants. These include alpha-hydroxy acids, vitamin C, azelaic acids and retinoids. These are also referred to as fade creams and can be found in drugstores, beauty sections of department stores and over-the-counter in pharmacies. They work best on milder forms of sun damage such as brown spots.

Cryotherapy

• Cryotherapy or cryosurgery is the removal of sun damaged spots in the skin by applying liquid nitrogen, which then causes the top layer of skin to peel off. It's not often used for freckles but typically for larger spots of sun damage. A possible side effect is over exposure to the chemical, which then causes white spots.

Chemical Peels

• Typically these treatments are used for sun damaged skin by removing layers of damaged skin and then stimulating collagen production. There are varying degrees of peels. Superficial ones may be done with some frequency, while medium-depth peels require months before repeated treatment. Most often gentle chemicals such as glycolic or salicylic acid are used for superficial peels, while trichloroacetic acid or TCA is used for medium-depth ones.

Laser Treatments

• Another option for treating sun damaged skin is laser treatments. These include intense pulsed light, first approved by the FDA in 1995, which is used to treat sun damage non-invasively. It is effective and gentle with often no side effects. There is no recovery time required, and results can be dramatic.