Pigment Spots, Age Spots, Melasma

Brown pigment spots on the face and hands are commonly called age spots – though really they should be called sun spots. They develop as a reaction to sunlight, usually after sunburns or from the late thirties onward as a sign of aging.

UV light stimulates the pigmentation of our skin. With lifelong (over-)stimulation, hyperpigmentation develops that no longer fades even in winter. If spots are particularly dark or irregular, a dermatologist should check whether a skin cancer precursor is hiding behind them.

During pregnancy and while taking the contraceptive pill, estrogen levels in the blood rise. Combined with sun exposure, this can lead to extensive facial hyperpigmentation known as melasma. In this case, a sunscreen with SPF 50+ and high UVA protection should be applied daily. The UVA symbol in a circle on the packaging guarantees this; many cosmetics have high UVB protection (SPF) but too little UVA protection – here, a trip to the pharmacy is recommended.

Brown spots also often appear after inflammation, such as healed pimples or burns.

Pigment spots – including freckles – can be treated effectively with the ruby laser, the superficially acting Fraxel Dual laser, or pulsed light (IPL): high-energy light heats the brown pigment and destroys it. Often a single, nearly painless session is enough. In selected cases, a special bleaching cream also works very well.

Moles, on the other hand, often do not respond sufficiently to lasers; their laser treatment is advisable only in exceptional cases and is often even contraindicated. As a rule, they should be removed surgically and examined histologically.