It's hard not to worship the sun a little when summer serves up the most delicious weather we've had in years, but when fall kicks in, looking in the mirror reveals pigmentation, dark spots and other effects of sun damage.  Cheer up, Lasses!  There are several ways to undo or at least treat damaged post-summer skin:

Zap it
The only way to really salvage scorched skin is IPL photo facial treatments.  IPL is pulse light therapy similar to laser (but less intense) that will search and destroy darkened skin cells.


Skin expert Kristen Ma from Pure+Simple Spa is confident that IPL is the "most permanent, one of the quickest methods and [has] generally almost no side effects".  The number of treatments and price will vary based on colour and size of the pigmentated area, but expect to pay between $600 - $1200 for packages of five treatments.


Treat it
If IPL treatments are beyond your budget (or comfort zone), there are a lot of topical products on the market designed to fade dark spots over time.

1. Vichy Normaderm Tri-Activ Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care ($29.95 CAD) contains acids to regenerate the darkened skin cells.
2. Origins Brighter By Nature Skin Tone Correcting Serum ($39.50 CAD) uses plant ingredients to reduce the appearance of discolouration.
3. Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector ($63 CAD) will whiten your dark spots.
4. For a gentle and natural approach, Kristen suggests rosehip oil.


Cover it Up
Fake it 'til you make it!  Obviously, the best way to fix the appearance of spots in a jiffy, is to cover it up.  Several products we like include:

1. Vichy AERATEINT PURE ($27.95 CAD) allows skin to breathe and protects against external aggressors.
2. Clarins Concealer Stick ($25 USD) camouflages small imperfections by boosting the reflection of light with pearly pigments.
3. L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Concealer ($10.28 CAD) hides skin imperfections and stays put all day.

Do you suffer from sun spots?  Which of these treatments would you be most likely to try?