Look Younger Instantly

Fighting wrinkles isn't the only way to look younger.


• Identify your skin-tone issues

Research shows that dark spots alone can add about 10 years to your face. Your new battle plan: Pinpoint your specific kind of splotches, then turn back the clock with the latest spot-zapping treatments.

Do you have sun spots?

What you see Dark marks (aka hyperpigmentation) from the size of a pinhead to a nickel. They usually start out a shade darker than your skin, then darken over time or after you’re in the sun.

Why you see them Your frenemy the sun is at it again. When exposed to UV light, skin protects itself by dispatching melanin, which is what gives skin color (so essentially, a tan is a warning that the sun is damaging your skin). After years of repeated UV attacks, melanin can appear in random patches.

Do you have freckles?

What you see Brown spots, typically smaller than sun spots, sprinkled across your nose, cheeks or forehead. You’ve probably had them since you were a kid. They may fade with age.

Why you see them Your skin has particularly active and possibly larger melanocytes, cells that boost the production of melanin shortly after sun exposure. “No one fully understands the difference between freckles and sun spots, but freckling appears to be inherited,” says David McDaniel, M.D., assistant professor of clinical dermatology at Eastern Virginia Medical School.

Do you have melasma?

What you see Brown patches that seem as if all your freckles have merged together, usually on your forehead, cheeks or upper lip. They may show year-round but worsen after sun exposure.

Why you see it This common skin condition is associated with high levels of hormones such as estrogen from pregnancy or birth control. Add UV light and your melanin kicks into overdrive. But why do you get melasma and your BFF doesn’t? It may simply come down to genetics.

Do you have postinflammatory hyperpigmentation?

What you see Scarlike discoloration that remains after a pimple, cut or burn goes away.

Why you see it Inflammation triggers changes in cell signaling, causing a flurry of erratic melanin production. (So getting acne, irritation and cuts to heal ASAP is a must.) PIH is another condition you can thank Mom and Pop for. And your skin color plays a role: PIH is one of the top dermatologic diagnoses for African Americans; it’s not even among the top 10 for Caucasians.

Do you have general blotchiness?

What you see A dull complexion that doesn’t look radiant, no matter how much you exfoliate.

Why you see it Consider this the in-between stage before noticeable sun spots emerge. You’ve got the UV damage, but so far only small amounts of excess melanin are popping up in skin cells, mostly near the surface, causing skin to lose luminosity. Glowing skin could be only one layer away!

• Time to see a pro?

Topical treatments are better than ever, but if you aren’t seeing results or are after the best possible scenario in the shortest amount of time—say, your high school reunion is in two weeks versus two months—you can’t beat lasers.

To target spots For a few defined brown marks or freckle patches, the Q-switched laser is spot-on. Excess melanin absorbs the thermal energy; the heat breaks it up and makes it disappear, says Neil Sadick, M.D., founder of Sadick Dermatology in NYC. You may get a scab, which falls off within a few days of having the one-and-done treatment. Cost: about $100 per area.

For allover pigmentation The newest fractional laser, the Fraxel re:store Dual (aka Fraxel Thulium), delivers two wavelengths, Dr. Sadick explains: one that penetrates to the epidermis, where most melanin activity takes place, and one that goes deeper into the dermis, where more severe pigmentation lives. You may be red for a few days, but within a week, you’ll be rewarded with significantly healthier, more even-toned skin. A single session is usually all it takes, although severe cases may need a follow-up or two. Cost: approximately $1,500 per treatment for a single area (e.g., your entire face).

To get rid of more than splotches Intense pulsed light targets both red and brown pigment so it can clear up broken capillaries and ruddiness in addition to brown sun damage. You’ll see results after one to three IPL treatments, each three weeks apart. Cost: up to $500 for each session.

David Gubert
KEYWORDS: natural beauty,Skin Tone,Younger
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