Dust under lens of digital camera. Clean or replace?

[Thermobaric]

I have a 5 year old Canon IXUS 230 HS that has picked up quite a bit of dust on the underside of the lens which has got to the point of ruining photos. Is this something that can be cleaned by a specialist or would it be best to just replace it for the sake of a couple hundred £ ?

I can't see how to take it apart otherwise I would just blast it with some air if I could get inside it.

[LongQ]

If that amount of dust has got into the lens system it suggests the zoom unit might need to be replaced. (I would think it is a complete unit exchange as they are pretty much sealed afaict which is why dust getting in probably suggests the zoom seals are compromised.

At 5 years old .... might be marginal for spare parts and the cost could be near the cost of replacement of the entire camera.

That said, whether a replacement equivalent is going to give better results or offer other advantages is not always a given. So if you decide to shop for a replacement do some research - hands on if you can.