Freckles were cute when you were playing T-ball, but now you're thinking...What is that - an age spot?!? Although age spots really have little to do with aging, they do appear over time when the cells that produce melanin (skin pigment) go bad. You'll get a freckle, or more likely a blotch that's bigger than a freckle, and it just won't go away. If you think it's too early to be noticing age spots but you see them on family members - well, the bad news is, those darkened, discolored spots that appear on faces and hands over the years are hereditary, so you may be likely to get them.

The good news is that you can take steps now to minimize the appearance of this discoloration. Better yet, the science of dermatology keeps evolving with new cosmetic dermatology treatments. This means all of us, at any age, have options to fade skin discoloration. In this article, I'll give you the information you need on the treatment generally known as the chemical peel (or facial peel).

But first, let's talk about what you can do to try to avoid age spots: Sunscreen! (You knew I'd say that.) Sun damage brings out these spots and blotches, and for those of us already blessed with the unsightly marks, sun exposure will make them darker and more prominent. No question: wear protective clothing and use a UVA/UVB sunscreen marked at least SPF 30. Protect your skin from the sun - every day, even if it's cloudy!

But, what if the pesky age spots have already blossomed on your skin? Among the treatments cosmetic dermatologists offer, chemical facial peels provide effective fading of age spots and other skin discoloration, along with other benefits. The facial peel works by loosening the connections between surface cells and speeding up the "turnover rate," bringing new cells to the skin surface. Since these spots begin with defective pigmentation in deeper cells, this procedure lets your skin get rid of these cells, along with sun-damaged surface skin. A side benefit: the process also smoothes wrinkles and increases collagen production, thereby improving skin tone.

Chemical treatments offer an advantage over surface procedures like dermabrasion: peels work at a deeper level in your skin. Of course, you'll want to talk with your own cosmetic dermatologist about the best treatment for your unique needs. A few people have chemical-sensitive skin, so preliminary testing will make it clear if this treatment is right for you.

Your cosmetic dermatologist can also recommend the level of treatment appropriate for the condition of your individual skin type and schedule requirements. The procedure involves the carefully controlled application of an acid or other solution to the skin, and there's a range of chemical peel formulations, from heavy-duty to gentler. To start with the big guns, one popular combination includes fluocinolone, hydroquinone, and tretinoin. It's topical (applied to your skin) but does require a doctor's prescription. Fluocinolone is a steroid; hydroquinone blocks the production of melanin, the dark skin pigment; tretinoin is a form of vitamin A. Together they strongly stimulate skin cell turnover and prevent the formation of new pigment.

This combination is highly effective for heavier discoloration, but must be used carefully. Women of childbearing age should take a test to rule out pregnancy before having the procedure. Everyone should know that the skin will become more sensitive to other skin products and to sunlight during the series of treatments. The dermatologist may use an anesthetic, as your skin will likely feel hot, look red and peel. But, it will settle down in a few days to a week, and look very clear and even in tone - in other words, youthful!

Natural fruit acids provide the gentler (and less expensive) chemical peel treatments, especially glycolic acid, as well as lactic and citric acid. Each treatment is brief (15-20 minutes), and a series over a few months will gently renew the skin, fading those age spots right out. Again, you may have some redness, but it's less pronounced. These treatments are easier on your whole system than the stronger formulations mentioned above. There's also an intermediate treatment available using trichloroacetic acid (TCA). This one is particularly effective on darker-toned skin.

Next time, we'll look at two other kinds of help for age spots and other discolorations, crystal-free microdermabrasion and light treatments, including lasers. It's great to know that even though some skin discoloration may be inevitable, we do have options to reduce or abolish them. Lighten up the age spots, and you could wind up looking as young as you feel!