Age Spots (or Liver Spots)

Years of sun exposure can lead to what are known as age spots, sun spots, or liver spots. Age spots don’t typically need to be treated but they can sometimes appear grouped together in a large collection, or be larger in size and may cause cosmetic concerns especially if they appear on your face.

At The Plastic Surgery Clinic/MD Beauty Clinic, we can lighten and remove your age spots without needing a referral from your family doctor.

What are Age Spots (Liver Spots)?

Age spots tend to look a little bit like freckles, but unlike freckles they do not go away. Age spots are usually tan or brownish in colour. They typically appear on exposed areas of the body such as the face, hands, arms, shoulders, and back. They can appear anywhere that the skin has been exposed to the sun for a long period of time.

Anyone can get age spots but they usually occur in middle age and on people with lighter skin. They are usually no larger than half an inch in size, but when grouped together they can become more noticeable and cause cosmetic concerns.

Although age spots are harmless and do not need treatment they tend to point to extensive sun exposure. It is therefore always good to have age spots looked at by a doctor to rule out any possible mole abnormalities and melanoma (a rare form of skin cancer).

The Age Spot (Liver Spot) Removal Procedure

The age spot removal procedure is simple, safe, and effective and takes under 30 minutes.

At The Plastic Surgery Clinic we remove age spots via Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy or using the Picoway Resolve device. This treatment usually does not require a local anesthetic.

During your free in person consultation your provider will examine your age spots and let you know how many treatments you might need in order to lighten and remove your age spots. We typically recommend three treatments, but everyone is different and you may require more or fewer treatments depending on your case.

Age spot removal treatment requires minimal downtime and you will be able to return to work and your regular activities immediately following your procedure.

You may feel as though you have a mild sunburn right after your procedure, but this sensation should resolve itself within 24-48 hours. You may also experience some redness following your treatment and your age spots will initially appear darker but this is completely normal. You will see them fade and flake off a week or two following your procedure.

You will need to avoid the sun for at least 48 hours following your treatment and you’ll need to avoid the sun before your treatment as well. We cannot perform this procedure if you have a sun tan.

The Cost of Age Spot (Liver Spot) Removal

The cost of age spot removal depends on the type of treatment used. You will receive a firm quote once you have had a consultation with one of our doctors.

Some minor procedures are covered by OHIP. Typically age spot removal is not covered by OHIP.

How Long Does Age Spot Removal Last?

Age spots once removed can return if your skin continues to get a lot of sun exposure. The best way to prevent age spots is to try to keep exposed areas of the skin out of the sun, regularly use sunscreen, and cover up when possible.

To find out more, please contact us by phone or e-mail or by filling out the Request for Information form below.