Treatment for Age Spots

As your skin accumulates years of sun exposure, you may notice flat tan, grey, brown or dark brown spots on your skin. These age spots, also called sun spots and liver spots, are usually found on the backs of the hands, face, neck and chest. While not harmful, they are a sign that your skin has come in contact with its fair share of UV rays. So how can you minimize or erase them?

First of all, if you don't want your age spots to multiply, you should wear a sunscreen with at least SPF 15 every day. The next type of cream you should use is a bleaching formula containing hydroquinone. You can ask your dermatologist for a prescription and he might also suggest another cream with retinoids and a mild steroid. The two will help fade age spots, but you may not see results for a few months. There are also over-the-counter solutions that can combat discolorations. Look for glycolic acid or kojic acid.

At home treatments can work to fade age spots, but if you want to remove them altogether you'll have to visit your dermatologist. At the office your doctor can give you a treatment that will eliminate age spots.

• Dermabrasion can work to slough off the surface layer, leaving a new layer of age spot free skin-expect to endure several treatments.
• Another way to gradually fade age spots is with a series of chemical peels. Your dermatologist will apply an acid, which removes the outer layer of skin, again eventually revealing new skin without age spots.
• Several sessions of laser therapy can help your spots fade over weeks or months by destroying the dark pigments in your skin. Know that it can be a pricey procedure, though.
• In cryotherapy, liquid nitrogen is applied on the spot to freeze and destroy the pigment. Once the skin heals, the skin will below will be lighter. This method can cause permanent scarring or discoloration, but when it works properly it's quick and highly effective.

What Causes Age Spots? It Isn't Always Age

What causes age spots? Surprisingly, the answer isn't always age.

What Are Age Spots?

Age spots, also known as liver spots or solar lentigines, are flat patches of skin discoloration that although painless, can cause the skin to look weary and aged. Often oval, age spots can range in size from a tiny freckle to a centimeter across and are usually brown, black, or gray.

What Causes Age Spots

Many consider tanned skin to be the mark of youthful good health. According to a study conducted by the American Academy of Dermatology almost half of the teens surveyed, though aware of the risks of skin cancer, believe that people look healthier with a tan. The fact is- a tan is anything but a healthy glow. Tanning is the body's natural reaction to cell damage.

In the process by which tanning occurs, ultra violet rays activate cells called melanocytes that produce the brown pigment melanin to defend against UV damage. Age spots begin to develop when melanin is produced in higher concentrations than normal.

Melanin causing age spots can be produced by:

• Sun Exposure: Because sun exposure is the primary culprit for the majority of sufferers, age spots more prominently appear on face, hands, shoulders, and arms-the most frequently exposed areas of the skin.
  
• Tanning Beds: Any method of tanning, including tanning beds and sunlamps, that produce skin darkening through the production of melanin can contribute to age spots.
  
• Natural Aging: Advancing age can also be a natural cause of increased melanin and the appearance of age spots.

Is Older Skin More Susceptible?

As you age, your skin becomes thinner and loses fat making it more susceptible to wrinkles, dryness, and damage. Unhealthy habits recklessly undertaken in youth like smoking and sun exposure begin to bare their unsightly side effects, as the skin grows older. These same habits practiced in advancing age have more immediate effects.

Though they can occur before, age spots generally occur in people over forty since the skin is ultimately more susceptible and the melanin clusters that produce the appearance of age spots typically develop over time.

Are Age Spots Dangerous

Medically referred to as benign or vascular pigmented lesions, age spots are generally harmless. They do not lead to cancer in and of themselves. That does not mean that the appearance of age spots should be ignored. Lentigo maligna melanoma is a form of skin cancer that also occurs as a result of sun-damaged skin. At its most treatable stage, LMM can be mistaken for a harmless age spot, so it's best not to self-diagnose.

Removing Age Spots at Home

Removing age spots begins with improving your overall health so skin is well cared for. Before you think about lightening or removing age spots, however, please check with your dermatologist to determine the type of spots you have. Some spots can be dangerous and should be surgically removed by a professional.

Taking Proper Care Of Your Skin
The best way to remove age spots is to keep them from appearing in the first place. That means getting a minimum of six to eight glasses of water per day, avoiding the sun or using sunscreen when you can't avoid the sun, eating nutritious meals and staying away from foods that are bad for you. It's also important to keep your weight under control and to maintain the tone of your skin by exercising regularly and using a good skin moisturizer that doesn't include alcohol, mineral oil, fragrance or parabens.

Exfoliation Treatments
Different exfoliation treatments can be purchased over the counter and used in the privacy of your own home to remove age spots. If you don't have any ideas where to start, look for products that contain ingredients such as grapeseed oil and vitamin E. And never underestimate the power of shea butter as a softening agent.

Lightening Age Spots
You can always dab lemon or lime juice on the age spot for several months to see a significant difference; however, you must be careful. Unfortunately, citrus juice will bleach all portions of your face, not just an age spot, and the results can be a very blotchy complexion. To avoid this, use a cotton-tipped swab, and touch up only the spots that require lightening. When you have reached a point where the age spots have been lightened enough to blend in with the rest of your complexion, stop using the lightening formula, and use the exfoliation infrequently.

The most important step in the removal of age spots is to make sure you do not expose the same skin to sunlight, or the age spot may reappear. Never attempt to remove an age spot that is bigger than a freckle or is raised. If the age spots are large, or if there are many of them, don't take things into your own hands. Call in the professionals, and together you can decide which course of action is best for you.

Fade Age Spots Naturally

To fade age spots naturally, you first need to evaluate your current lifestyle and then adjust it accordingly. If you continue to expose your skin to the sun's damaging UV rays and eat a poor diet, your age spots will keep coming back, no matter how many age spots creams you try. While home remedies can help lighten age spots, the best remedy is a change of your habits.

What Age Spots Are
Age spots, also known as "liver spots," are the dark spots that appear on your skin as you age. The spots are most prominent on the backs of your hands and on your face and chest, and they can appear in an array of colors, from light brown to black.

Changing Your Habits
The key to removing these age spots from your body and eliminating the chance of additional spots appearing over time is to limit sun exposure. Since it is inevitable that everyone must spend some time in the sun, the best method of preventing sun damage is to avoid the sun when you can and use a good sunscreen with at least 15 or 30 SPF when you can't.

The second-best defense you have against developing age spots is to drink plenty of water, eat a healthy diet and incorporate an exercise routine into your daily life. Keeping your body in tip-top shape and ingesting plenty of antioxidants to help your body fend off free radicals is a step in the right direction.

Before you decide to do anything about your age spots, it's important to see a licensed dermatologist to determine if the spots in question are in fact age spots or something more serious. Also, before using any product-natural or otherwise-to lighten your skin, check with your dermatologist to make sure it is safe.

Bleaching Your Age Spots
For lightening age spots with a bleaching agent, dab the solution on the spot several times a day until the spot lightens enough that it blends in with the rest of your skin. If the area you want to lighten is large, it may be best to lighten the whole area, such as the entire back of your hand or your entire face. Check with your physician or dermatologist before using any ointments and lotions on your body, and, if your skin develops a red spot or rash where the ointments have been applied, discontinue using the product until you have sought the advice of a trained medical professional.

Good natural bleaching agents include lemon juice, other citrus juices, vinegar, horseradish or a mix of honey and yogurt. Apply the agent to a small spot on your skin to make sure you have no allergies to the ingredients you are about to rub on a larger area. Then start slowly, always rub gently and stop if redness or pain occurs on the site. Remember that each item can burn your skin if left on too long, so be sure to rinse if you feel any irritation.

On average, it will take about two months of regular use to lighten age spots. Create a chart, and follow it religiously. If the products do not harm your skin, it may be safe to apply them twice a day in a more vigorous regimen.

How to Get Rid of Age Spots

"How to get rid of age spots?" you may ask as you look in the mirror. Unfortunately, by the time you notice age spots, it is almost impossible to remove them, as age spots are a fact of life. However, you can lighten them or cover them up.

Methods For Getting Rid Of Age Spots
Treatments for age spots range from simple at-home solutions to outrageously priced invasive procedures, such as laser treatments and surgery. Before you opt for anything as drastic as surgery, start on a smaller scale with a simple citrus exfoliation process, and be persistent. Lemon juice, or the juice of any citrus fruit, contains alpha hydroxy acid, which is an absolutely wonderful product to use as an exfoliant.

Wash your face two to three times a week with a few slices of orange or lemon. If your skin is hardy, scrub it gently with the citrus, and then leave the juice on your face for a minute or so before washing it off.

Bleaching with citrus, horseradish, sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar or any other fruit or vegetable-based natural product will also work as long as you apply the products on a regular basis. Use this method to exfoliate your face each week. In a few weeks, you'll see a difference, and so will everyone else.

Cover Up For Age Spots
Covering up age spots is an alternative for those who don't have the time or energy to follow a daily or weekly regime. There is no surgery involved. All that is required is just a minute or two in front of the mirror as you apply a little foundation to the area. The problem with covering up age spots in this manner is that you never actually get rid of them. If you forget your foundation once, within seconds your secret will be out of the bag. Still, it is an option that isn't costly, isn't invasive and doesn't require much preparation time.

Prevention
To avoid the appearance of even more age spots, you should be always wear sunscreen and a hat. Following a nutritious diet to improve the overall quality of your skin can be a good help. That way, you will encourage a youthful glow that will make the age spots less noticeable.