Some things, like fine wine and leather jackets, get better with age. Unfortunately, your skin is not one of those things. Sun, collagen loss, pregnancy and stress all contribute to dark spots, wrinkles and scars—and the sooner you come up with a treatment plan, the better. Dr. Eric Schweiger, board certified dermatologist and RealSelf advisor, offers his advice for when it’s time to head to the dermatologist’s office to fix a variety of common skin issues.

Stretch Marks:

See the derm: When your stretch marks are still newly formed and red. After 9 to 12 months, they can turn white or silver. “Wait until after you have given birth to have any elective treatments on stretch marks,” warns Dr. Schweiger.

The treatment: An average of four or more laser treatments (Fraxel is most commonly used) for permanent results

Fine Lines:

See the derm: As soon as they start to become noticeable and bothersome

The treatment: Botox treatment around the eyes and forehead every six months; at-home use of a hydrating eye cream; daily SPF 30 wear; UV protective sunglasses. “Botox will work on any wrinkles, but it does work better before the wrinkles get too deep, so I recommend treatment earlier rather than later in patients who develop unwanted wrinkles,” says Dr. Schweiger.

Dark Spots:

See the derm: As soon as you notice new light spots that look like freckles or grayish brown darkening on the cheeks, bridge of the nose, under-eyes or upper lip (areas where melasma typically develops)

The treatment: Intense Pulse Light treats freckles, brown spots, sun damage and melasma on the skin. After one to two weeks, the pigmentation should fade to noticeably more uniform skin.

Sagging Skin:

See the derm: As soon as you start to notice looser skin

The treatment: Ultherapy and Thermage are non-invasive treatment options; Thermage uses radio frequency while Ultherapy uses ultrasound waves to stimulate collagen and tighten the skin. “Both are great for face and body, but Ultherapy works particularly well for decolletage, chin and neck, and Thermage can be used to target the eye area,” says Dr. Schweiger.

Acne Scars:

See the derm: As soon any active acne lesions have cleared up, but the scars have not

The treatment: For redness or dark marks (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation), chemical peels or a topical lightening treatment; for indentations, filler injections can provide a temporary solution (they last about six to eight months) and a laser treatment such as the Focal Acne Scar Treatment (F.A.S.T)® procedure, which uses the fractional CO2 laser in a more targeted way, can provide a more permanent fix.

Sunburns:

See the derm: Immediately if the burn is blistering, swelling or you have streaks of red near an open blister; if you aren’t experiencing severe symptoms, at-home cooling and moisturizing treatments should repair the burn.

The treatment: LED red light laser therapy will help to decrease inflammation and promote healing of the burn. The aging effects of sun damage may not appear for many years, but with each burn, you’re creating more and more damage to the skin that is harder to recover from.

Injury Scars:

See the derm: Six weeks after the cut

The treatment: Apply petroleum jelly to the active wound to keep it from forming a scab; laser treatment and silicone creams from your dermatologist can prevent the scar from becoming permanent.

[url] http://www.koboup.com/2015/11/how-to-get-rid-of-wrinkles-dark-spots-stretch-marks/ [/url]