Can I get rid of age spots and keep my freckles?

Q I AM 49 and have always had a freckly complexion. However, over the past few years I’ve developed two large age spots on my face and they’re making me very self-conscious. How can I get rid of them without affecting my other freckles? A You should always con-sult a doctor before embarking on a treat-ment for skin pigmentation to ensure there is no underlying problem — sometimes skin cancers can be overlooked.

Sun exposure is a main contributor to developing age spots and prevention is better than cure. Keep existing sun spots at bay with a sunblock of at least 30SPF.

Depending on the severity of your age spots, there are a number of non-surgical options available to you.

Cryotherapy uses liquid nitrogen to target the age spots and freeze the affected area. A scab will then shed naturally.

Laser works by focusing a light source that is absorbed by the melanin, which ther-mally destroys the pigment. More than one treatment may be necessary.

Don’t worry about your freckles, we can mask off freckly areas to prevent them fading.

Cryotherapy costs from £150 per spot and prices for laser treatment start at £250.