When I saw this photo of my grandson Mazen, taken on his first birthday in September, my immediate emotion was: What a happy, festive day!
But this grandma’s second thought was: Look at those large age spots ( two inches above my right thumb near my wrist). They bother me whenever I look down at them. Now they’re popping up in pictures.
So………
At Chapel Hill Dermotology for a skin check two weeks later, I held out my hand. “Can we get rid of these?”
“I can freeze them off,” Dr. Becker offered.
“How much?”
“Charge is one hundred dollars.”
Hmmm…..
A hundred dollars.
Two dinners out.
Two new dresses at a really good sale.
or……..
Two big old age spots gone forever.
“Will it actually work?”
The nurse, about my age, stretched out her hands. “Yep!”
No spots there.
I looked at my own hand, and then I looked at the doc. “Zap me.”
I felt some burn, and ten minutes later, this is what they looked like:
I took photos of the healing process, but daughter Kath said they were too gross to post. The spots blistered up. Then scabs formed and after about two weeks, fell off.
They are now smallish smudges. I hope in time, they’ll fade to invisible.
At what price youth? Beauty?
I’m not sure, but I’m glad those extra-large age spots are gone. To me, the one hundred dollars was well spent.
But guess where a chunk of the next hundred is going?
Someone’s getting a train set and accessories for Christmas.
Choo! Choo!
PS. I have plenty more age spots; I’m not ditzing, in general, on those marks of time. The two I had zapped were just so big, I was glad to see them go.
Friend For The Ride 
I immediately had to look down at my hands… SOmethings are worth saying goodbye to!
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Yep! This was kind of fun and really did work.
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I don’t have any age spots on my hands except for one little one. I do have a few on my arms though. Zapping them off is no different than coloring our hair. Go for it if you can afford it and it makes you feel better about yourself.
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Thanks! You’re right. Hair costs too!
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It’s good to know there are solutions to things that bother us— glad you took care of it!
And even gladder that there’s $ leftover for the trains! We love Brio– still have all the tracks etc. from when the boys were small and have added to it.
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I’m sure hoping he likes it!
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Gosh, I had no idea there was a remedy for my age spots. I thought it was something I just had to live with. I have several on my hands and they are too big to confuse with my freckles. Some freezing might be in my future. Thanks for the info!
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I’ll show you mine at the gym!
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You are so brave!! I am too whimpy i guess but i think we all need to do waht makes us feel best.
And we need to take care of ourselves!!
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Didn’t really hurt much at all.
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I heard that if you place a slice of raw potato on the spot, and hold it there for several minutes, the spot will eventually fade. I tried this on my face and eventually grew bored with the process. It seems like zapping them is so much quicker and more rewarding. I also read that raw egg applied makes a mighty fine facial treatment…and I can vouch for this.
Your Grandson is beautiful, by the way. Your hands are beautiful, too.
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Thanks! About Maze and my hands, although his are a whole lot nicer…
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Mazen is just so dang cute I didn’t even notice the age spots, until you pointed them out. Yeah, sometimes things that bug us have just got to go, if at all possible. I have several large age spots on my hands, but now there are so many smaller ones that it just doesn’t matter. I’m used to them now. When I look at my hands typing away right now, it’s sort of like seeing Mom or (gulp) Gramma typing. Scary! Anyway, it is good that we have things we can do to handle discomforting reminders of aging. There are reasons I have a basket of lotions and potions in my bathroom… 😉
Have fun shopping for the train. Very fun. This is going to be a fantastic Christmas with Mazen at this age. Enjoy!
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Hands are tricky. I didn’t think mine looked old until I started tutoring and I saw them against the computer screen, pointing out this or that about sentences or commas!
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I had this same conversation and we tried one. It’s been 1.5 wks and I am still waiting for it to fall off. It never blisterd much, either.
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You must let me know how it goes!
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Of course the train set is so much cuter than the age spots removal but ….
I have a blog out next week about my own skin check. My dermatologist was for my likings a bit too quick and eager to freeze off moles on my face. I told her I would consider it next time I am in.
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Do send the link when it goes up and we can add it here. Dr. Becker is more laid back if it’s of a cosmetic nature, which mine was.
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I loved reading your post. I’m getting spots all over my arms but the one I hate the most is on my cheek. Oh my gosh…I can’t tell you how much I hate it. I tried the freezing once and it did the same thing as yours…scabbed up then fell off but it didn’t make the spot go away but it did break it up a little. It is still there and I just haven’t had the money to go again. I use Proactive’s skin lightener and I think it’s helped a little but the vanity of it all is that I want it GONE! I’ll keep trying till I die! Great site by the way! Love it.
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Thanks!
I think the face can be trickier–not sure why and not sure I’m right. Let us know if you find a good solution!
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I may be trickier and it sure is frustrating. I’ll try anything I can afford. I will certainly let you know if I find a good one! Thanks for the reply.
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Promise to let me know! I have a round spot on my face I may ask my dermo about. Paler than an age spot but I suspect that’s what it is.
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I will certainly let you know. It’s been an ongoing battle for a few years now but I won’t give up the fight.
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I’m too young for “age” spots. OK maybe not these days but in 2000 when I was 30, I was too young for them. I have/had sun damage I had a nasty little spot over my right eyebrow. It had become raised and a derm froze it off and it has not come back. I had a big one taken frozen off my leg 2 years ago. That one turned out to be WEIRD. It had a medium one underneath. Medium on my legs look like beauty makes and I know they have been there since the last century. I’ll live until I they grow back but up next the bindi I first spotted in 2005 after spending the summer walking along the SM-Venice trail (with SPF and a hat) while using Proactiv – just say no to Benzoil Peroxide when you are over 30.
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