Solar Lentigo
Liver Spot, Solar Lentigenes
Solar Lentigenes:
- Are areas of sun damaged skin that usually develop on the face and hands
- Are not cancerous and never develop into a skin cancer
- If you have a spot that is new, be sure to show it to your doctor
- Are usually tan or brown in colour and may be flat or raised
- Are not due to diet
- Are not due to a liver problem
- Are not contagious
- May get gradually larger with time and do not disappear spontaneously
- Are due to sun exposure that occurred 10 to 70 years before the spot appeared
- Are not due to aging – are entirely due to sun exposure
Treatment
Liquid Nitrogen:
- The treatment that I prefer for a few lentignes (3 or less) is liquid nitrogen
- Liquid nitrogen is a cold-freezing spray that is applied from a thermos-like spray bottle
- Each spot is treated for a few seconds
- The treatments ‘sting’ for less than a minute
- The area treated may remain sore for one to two days
- The treatment may produce blisters
- This is normal
- If the blisters are painful, pop them with a sterile needle to let the fluid out
- You may apply an antibiotic ointment to the treated area for two weeks after the procedure
- You may bathe normally
- A bandage is not necessary
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL, Photofacials, Fotofacials):
- A new treatment called IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) – also known as Fotofacials is now available for the treatment lentigenes
- IPL may be used to treat one or many lentigenes at a time and is especially useful if the lentigenes are small or numerous (more than three)
- IPL treats and removes:
- Freckles due to sun damage
- Broken facial blood vessels (telangiectasia)
- Background red skin tones
- Enlarged pores
- Sun damage
- Depleted collagen in the skin
- All of these lead to smoother, younger looking skin and reduced redness at the same time
- Creams are generally not effective at removing solar lentigenes
- Treatment of solar lentigenes is not covered by OHIP or private health insurance
- For liquid nitrogen treatments, a referral from a doctor is necessary to make your first appointment
- If you are interested in a free consultation with one of our aestheticians to discuss IPL, a referral is NOT necessary
Solar Lentigenes (Liver Spots) – Hand
Solar Lentigenes – Face
Solar Lentigenes – Chest
Microdermabrasion combined with IPL can be used to treat unwanted Solar Lentigenes
Solar Lentigenes – Cheeks
What if you are interested to learn more?
If you would like to learn more please phone the aesthetic centre directly at (905) 549-7873 to book a free consultation with one of our knowledgeable technicians or