Dark spots on the skin? We tell you how to prevent them, recognize them, and treat them.

Now, as summer has come to an end, it’s when we notice the consequences it has left on our skin. We feel our skin dull, thicker, and we see how new spots have appeared or the ones we already had have worsened.

Fortunately, autumn arrives with milder sunlight and many months ahead to get our skin’s health back on track. We always say that…Autumn is the best time of the year to start treatments for removing skin spots precisely for these reasons.

Do you want to remove facial spots and don’t know where to start? At Clínica Escoda, we want to assist you throughout the entire process, addressing your doubts and offering you different solutions to remove spots according to the needs of your skin.

Let’s start by addressing the most common questions about facial spots.

What types of spots exist?

There are many types of spots that have different appearances and origins, such as freckles, moles, post-inflammatory marks, age spots or simple lentigines, sun-induced spots or solar lentigines, those with a hormonal origin like melasma…

When it comes to treating spots on the face or body, a prior diagnosis is extremely important in order to classify the type of spot and, above all, to ensure that it doesn’t show signs of malignancy.

The type of spot and its characteristics will determine the type of treatment to apply. For example, for sun-related or age-related spots that we call lentigines, the ideal treatment is light-based, including both laser and IPL. On the other hand, for melasma-type spots, depigmenting peels are more effective.

In this article, we will focus on the spots called lentigines, both simple and solar.

Simple lentigines and solar lentigines, how do they differ?

First of all, let’s explain the differences between simple lentigines and solar lentigines, although both types are similar and their treatment is the same.

Simple lentigines can appear anywhere on the body and are related to skin aging, while solar lentigines are linked to photoaging and appear in sun-exposed areas such as the face, neckline, hands, arms, and legs.

How are solar lentigines and simple lentigines removed? Recommended treatments.

The treatment for this type of spots that we apply at Clínica Escoda is based on the use of laser for spots, IPL or intense pulsed light for spots, or most often, a combination of both although not in the same session.

Any spot treatment will require multiple sessions in which we will combine the two light systems, laser or IPL. The exact number of sessions for each system will depend on the nature of the spots and the patient’s skin.

The main goal is to remove the spots, but with IPL, we also achieve an improvement in overall skin tone by unifying it and enhancing skin quality simultaneously. Because IPL not only targets excess melanin to remove spots, but it also enhances the quantity and quality of our collagen.

If we want to achieve more effective results, before each spot treatment with laser or chemical depigmenting peel, we will prepare the skin in the preceding weeks with active dermatological cosmetics, such as retinol.

What can we expect from the treatment to remove lentigines?

After a session of spot treatment with IPL or laser, we can expect the spot to darken temporarily, as it forms a small, soft scab that will last for about four to six days. This thin scab does not hinder normal life.

When the thin scab falls off, the spot will decrease in color or even disappear completely.

How many treatment sessions are needed?

We do one session per month, and the most common scenario is that three or four sessions are usually sufficient to achieve a good result. Throughout this entire time, comprehensive sun protection with SPF 50+ is essential.

We also recommend continuing to apply the skincare routine that we used to prepare the skin’s quality before starting the treatment throughout this time. Furthermore, if we continue using it as maintenance once the treatment is completed, we will prevent the reappearance of spots and maintain a very good skin quality.

Light treatments require annual maintenance since the skin continues to develop spots, and it’s better to do a small yearly touch-up rather than waiting several years for a significant recurrence.

This way, we ensure that the skin remains beautiful while continuously stimulating collagen quality, enhancing the skin over the years.

Don’t you know what type of spot you have yet?

If you’re unsure about the type of spot you have, schedule an appointment for a skin medical diagnosis at our aesthetic medicine clinic in Barcelona.

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact us, and we’ll be happy to assist you.

Get started now! And flaunt radiant skin.