I look in the mirror and what I notice are my sun spots. Freckles are cute when you’re a child, but I am no child and they have been getting darker and bigger.

Today, I was supposed to have them removed by laser treatment called Alextrivantage. My friend tried it and found it effective because they turned her spots into scabs that eventually fell off. Most lasers focus on the whole face but this particular one focuses on age spots.

I asked my derma if I could name her. She declined but her clinic is in MMC and she also mentioned that St. Luke’s probably has the same machine, too. Since I had to move my schedule, I am obsessing about my spots. Sadly, most women develop this, too, due to excessive sun exposure.

Even if we use SPF religiously, every minute we are out in the sun is registered by our body. By protecting ourselves, we help stop the process of additional sun damage.

Here are four simple steps to help make our skin quality better and also help in better absorption of the products we use to prevent age spots.

Step 1: Exfoliate

Use a gentle exfoliant every day to remove dead skin cells if you want smooth, brighter skin. By removing dead skin, products such as moisturizers and serums will be more efficiently absorbed by your skin. I’ve been using Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser.

Step 2: Spot fixes

Having your spots burnt may be too drastic so use what’s in the market that will help lighten them. It will lighten your spots (not erase) by stopping the uneven production of melanin. Try Murad Age Spot & Pigment Gel which has a 2 percent concentration of hydroquinone. Apply two or three times a day on the darkened area, and make sure not to go under the sun so as not to burn.

Step 3. Use SPF

Use SPF every day to prevent further damage. Go for broad spectrum sunscreen  which means it protects you from UVA and UVB rays, with an SPF value of 15 or higher. Reapply every 30 minutes for optimal protection. I like Heliocare SPF 90 gel because it’s not sticky and, for some reason, I prefer sunscreen made in Spain.

Step 4. Think antioxidants

Arm yourself with antioxidants which help protect the skin DNA while also protecting the collagen and elastic tissue. Apply serums and creams that are rich in Vitamin C. I like Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester