Sun-Kissed Then, Sun-Spotted Now: Understanding Hyperpigmentation in Later Life
Do you remember the days when a bottle of olive oil and the midday sun were all you needed for that perfect summer tan? Before SPF was a household term, many of us soaked up the sunshine with little more than a towel and some baby oil—blissfully unaware of what it might do to our skin decades later. Now, years on, those long afternoons at the beach may be showing themselves in the form of dark patches on your face, arms, or hands. These sunspots, sometimes called age spots or liver spots, are a type of hyperpigmentation—and while they’re a perfectly normal part of ageing, there are ways to treat them, protect your skin, and feel confident again.
What Is Hyperpigmentation?
Why It Happens As We Age
Are They Dangerous?
What You Can Do About It
Embracing the Skin You’re In
Written By: Adrienne Nemeth
Beach bodies in 1970
What is hyperpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation refers to areas of skin that appear darker than the surrounding skin. It happens when the body produces excess melanin, the pigment that gives your skin its colour. For many of us who’ve lived a sun-filled life, these patches show up where the sun has hit us most over the years—the face, forearms, and backs of the hands.
Why it happens as we age?
As we age, our skin becomes thinner and less able to protect itself from UV damage. Cumulative sun exposure—especially from the unprotected sunbathing days of the '60s, '70s, and '80s—can trigger melanin production long after the tan fades. Over time, small flat brown spots begin to form, particularly in those sun-loving areas.
Other factors that can contribute include:
Hormonal changes, especially after menopause
Medications that increase sun sensitivity
Skin injuries or inflammation
Genetics – some people are more prone to pigmentation than others
Are they dangerous?
In most cases, age spots and pigmentation are harmless. However, any spot that changes in colour, size, or shape should be checked by a doctor to rule out skin cancer. It’s always wise to have a professional look at new or irregular pigmentation—just to be sure.
What you can do about It?
At Skinportant Clinic, we treat hyperpigmentation with care, empathy, and a realistic approach. While you can’t erase the past, there are many safe and effective treatments to soften and fade dark spots.
Here are some options that work particularly well for mature skin:
1. Topical Treatments
Creams containing vitamin C, niacinamide, azelaic acid, or tretinoin can gradually fade dark patches over time. We can recommend formulas that are gentle, nourishing, and suited for sensitive or thinning skin.
This treatment targets pigmentation without damaging the surrounding skin, especially effective for the face, décolletage, arms, and hands. We treated 100s of sun damaged skin over the years and we are confident we can help you too. Please click here for more information.
Sever pigmentation on cheek removed with IPL
3. Sun Protection
It’s never too late to start using SPF! A daily broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher is essential—even on cloudy coastal days. We highly recommend spending a little bit of extra on qualiy SPF such as the Advanced Face Guard from Janssen Cosmetics. Here is a quick read how does SPF work.
Embracing the skin you’re in
Those long, carefree days by the sea were part of a beautiful era. We didn’t know then what we know now—but today, we have the tools to look after our skin while still enjoying the coast we love.
Whether you’d like to fade age spots, protect your skin, or simply understand what’s happening as you age, Skinportant Clinic in Southsea is here to help. We’ll work with you to create a gentle, effective skincare plan that respects your skin’s history—and its future.
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