Age Spot Removal in London, Ontario: What Works After Summer

Medically reviewed by Derek Truong, NP, Medical Director at Infinite Medical Spa.

Age spot removal works best when you know exactly what kind of spot you’re dealing with, and when you treat it at the right time of year. For most flat, brown sun spots, a series of IPL photofacial treatments is a common first choice, and fall is the easiest time to start in London, Ontario. By September, summer sun has done its damage. The shorter days ahead make it much easier to keep treated skin out of the sun while it heals.

Mayo Clinic describes age spots as very common in adults older than 50, though younger people get them too if they spend time in the sun.

Key takeaways

Age spots are flat brown spots caused by years of UV exposure, and true age spots aren’t dangerous.
A spot that is black, growing, irregular or bleeding needs a doctor’s check before any cosmetic treatment.
IPL suits scattered flat sun spots, while stubborn spots and darker skin tones may do better with a pigment laser.
Daily SPF 30 or higher is what keeps new spots from forming after treatment.

What are age spots?

Age spots are small, flat patches of skin that are darker than the skin around them. You’ll also hear them called sun spots, liver spots or solar lentigines. Despite the name, liver spots have nothing to do with your liver. Mayo Clinic explains that overactive pigment cells cause them: UV light speeds up the production of melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour.

They show up where skin has had the most sun over the years, such as the face, the backs of the hands, the shoulders and the arms. Commercial tanning lamps and beds can cause them too, and Mayo Clinic notes they’re more common in adults whose skin sunburns easily.

True age spots aren’t dangerous, according to Cleveland Clinic, and Mayo Clinic says they don’t need treatment. They are a sign of a lot of past sun, though. Many people still treat them because they make skin look older and more uneven than it feels.

When should you get a spot checked first?

Before anything cosmetic happens to it. Not every brown spot is an age spot, and Mayo Clinic cautions that age spots can look like cancerous growths. A spot that is new or different should be assessed by your family doctor or a dermatologist first.

Mayo Clinic’s list of warning signs is short: a spot that is black, getting bigger, has an irregular border, has an unusual mix of colours, or is bleeding. Any of those means a doctor visit first. For checking your own skin between appointments, the Canadian Dermatology Association points to the ABCDEs of melanoma: Asymmetry, Border, Colour, Diameter and Evolution. Skin cancer isn’t rare here, either. The Canadian Cancer Society notes that non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in Canadians.

Two look-alikes come up often. Melasma is patchy, often hormonal pigment that behaves differently from sun spots. Mayo Clinic notes that melasma often comes back quickly after IPL and that the heat from IPL is thought to make it worse, so it needs its own plan. Raised or waxy-looking spots aren’t classic age spots either, and a physician should assess them before any treatment is decided.

Why is fall the best time to start age spot removal?

Summer in Southwestern Ontario means patio season and cottage weekends, and that adds up to a lot of UV. By September, many people notice new spots, or old ones that have darkened.

Light-based treatments need skin that hasn’t seen much sun lately. Infinite Medical Spa asks patients to avoid sun exposure for four weeks before IPL, and an active tan means the appointment gets moved. Treated skin then needs careful sun protection while it heals. Both are far easier to manage between October and March than in July.

The calendar helps as well. An IPL series for sun spots usually runs three to five sessions spaced three to four weeks apart, so a series that starts in October wraps up between December and February, before spring sun returns. IPL can be done year-round with strict sun avoidance. Fall is simply when that’s easiest.

How does IPL remove age spots?

Intense pulsed light, or IPL, delivers broad-spectrum light that the pigment in a sun spot absorbs. Mayo Clinic lists laser and intense pulsed light among its age spot treatments and explains that some of these therapies destroy melanin-producing cells without damaging the skin’s surface.

What happens next surprises people. Treated spots darken first, often looking like coffee grounds on the skin, then flake off on their own within about 5 to 10 days. That darkening is expected. Let the spots shed naturally and avoid picking at them. You can see how a series is planned on the IPL photofacial for sun spots page.

IPL covers a whole area in one pass, so it suits spots scattered across the face, neck, chest or the backs of the hands. Your plan depends on how many spots you have and how dark they are. For a closer look at the device used in clinic, read about M22 IPL treatment for sun damage in London, Ontario.

What other age spot removal options are there?

IPL isn’t the only route. Cleveland Clinic lists over-the-counter and prescription lightening creams, chemical peels (sometimes paired with microdermabrasion or cryotherapy), cryotherapy, dermabrasion and laser resurfacing. A 2025 systematic review of clinical trials in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology compared that same range, from lasers and IPL to cryotherapy, peels and topical creams.

The best fit depends on the spot and on your skin:

Pigment laser. Stubborn or deeper spots, and spots on medium to deeper skin tones, can be better suited to a pigment reduction laser. The one used at Infinite Medical Spa, the DEKA Toro, has three wavelengths, including a 1064 nm setting for deeper skin tones. It breaks pigment into fragments with very short, high-powered pulses instead of relying on heat alone. A single well-defined spot may respond in one or two sessions, and treated spots darken for one to two weeks before they flake.
Chemical peels and topicals. These can fade mild, widespread discolouration, and they’re often used alongside in-clinic treatment to help results last.

For classic flat sun spots on lighter to medium skin, IPL for age spots is usually the place to start. A good provider will tell you if another option fits your skin better.

Will age spots come back after treatment?

Treated spots can stay faded for a long time, but new ones can form. Cleveland Clinic notes that some people develop age spots again after treatment, and that new spots are more likely when skin isn’t protected from UV light.

Prevention comes down to daily habits. Mayo Clinic’s advice is to stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, reapplied every two hours. Tightly woven clothing and a broad-brimmed hat help too. Cleveland Clinic goes further on tanning beds: skip them entirely. Keeping results usually means daily SPF plus a maintenance IPL session once or twice a year.

Frequently asked questions

Are age spots dangerous?

No. Cleveland Clinic describes true age spots as not dangerous. Some skin cancers can look similar, though, so Mayo Clinic advises having any spot that is black, growing, irregular, oddly coloured or bleeding checked by a doctor before treatment.

Can age spots be removed permanently?

Treated spots can clear, but the sun damage behind them stays, and new spots can form. Cleveland Clinic notes that new age spots are more likely without regular sun protection.

How many IPL sessions does it take to remove age spots?

It depends on how many spots you have and how dark they are. At Infinite Medical Spa, a sun spot series is usually three to five sessions spaced three to four weeks apart, and your provider confirms the plan at your consultation.

Do age spots get darker after IPL?

Yes, and it’s expected. Treated spots darken and can look like coffee grounds before flaking off within about 5 to 10 days. Leave them alone and let them shed on their own.

Can I get IPL if I have a tan?

Not right away. Infinite Medical Spa asks for four weeks without sun exposure before IPL, and an active tan means rescheduling. That’s one reason fall and winter are popular times to start. If you’re not sure where your skin stands, book a consultation and your provider will assess it first.

How much does age spot removal cost in Canada?

Price depends on the device used and the number of sessions, along with the size of the area. For general Canadian price ranges, see how much skin pigmentation treatment costs in Canada.

Sources

This article was medically reviewed by Derek Truong, NP, Medical Director at Infinite Medical Spa. It is for general education only and is not a substitute for an individual medical assessment. Any new or changing spot should be assessed by a physician before cosmetic treatment.

About the medical reviewer

Derek Truong, NP — Medical Director, Infinite Medical Spa

Derek Truong is a Nurse Practitioner and the Medical Director at Infinite Medical Spa in London, Ontario. He sets our clinical standards and medically reviews our educational content for accuracy and safety. Learn more about our team.