Over-the-counter skin care can only really get rid of brown spots that you've had for less than six months. Spots that have been around longer than that "require prescription hydroquinone, which can take up to three months to make a noticeable difference, or a professional laser treatment," says David Bank, a dermatologist in Mount Kisco, New York. "If you've got lots of sun spots across your chest, you'd have to go through half a tube of hydroquinone every night." He suggests removing them with a Fraxel laser instead—but before you get sticker shock, be warned