The circumferential spot on your left cheek appears to be a sun spot. There are several ways of lightening/removing them:
1. Prevention:
- Topical sunscreen: Get those with SPF 30++ and above, with zinc oxide or Titanium dioxide; these provide maximum reflective and absorptive capacities without breaking the bank.
- Oral sun block: Heliocare, for example, adds an additional UV protection
- UV avoidance: Stay away from the sun or tan beds as far as possible
2. Home care:
- Adapalene/retin creams: Reduces pigmentation and increases your skin's health.
- Lightening creams: Hydroquinone-based creams, cysteamine, crystal tomato creams help lighten and prevent worsening
- Oral lightening agents: Safe and effective, brands like crystal tomato capsules help lighten existing pigmentation and protect the body against free radicals induced by UV exposure. It's the final step of protection against UV rays that do manage to penetrate your sun screen
3. Clinical-grade care:
- Lasers: Lasers such as the picosecond lasers effectively lighten and remove these sun spots
- IPL/BBL: Also effectively deal with these sun-induced pigmentation
Do ensure you have a good skin care regimen in place before, while, and after treatment to ensure these spots do not worsen/recur (the possibility though, is always still there).
Cheers and Happy New Year,
Dr Shane Abucewicz Tan
1. Prevention:
- Topical sunscreen: Get those with SPF 30++ and above, with zinc oxide or Titanium dioxide; these provide maximum reflective and absorptive capacities without breaking the bank.
- Oral sun block: Heliocare, for example, adds an additional UV protection
- UV avoidance: Stay away from the sun or tan beds as far as possible
2. Home care:
- Adapalene/retin creams: Reduces pigmentation and increases your skin's health.
- Lightening creams: Hydroquinone-based creams, cysteamine, crystal tomato creams help lighten and prevent worsening
- Oral lightening agents: Safe and effective, brands like crystal tomato capsules help lighten existing pigmentation and protect the body against free radicals induced by UV exposure. It's the final step of protection against UV rays that do manage to penetrate your sun screen
3. Clinical-grade care:
- Lasers: Lasers such as the picosecond lasers effectively lighten and remove these sun spots
- IPL/BBL: Also effectively deal with these sun-induced pigmentation
Do ensure you have a good skin care regimen in place before, while, and after treatment to ensure these spots do not worsen/recur (the possibility though, is always still there).
Cheers and Happy New Year,
Dr Shane Abucewicz Tan
