Ways of reducing age spots
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These spots are the flat brown, black or yellow spots that show up on the neck, hands, and face. They are caused by sun exposure and start to appear once people hit 40. Liver spots are not dangerous in any way, so there is no medical reason to remove them. However, they are telltale signs of a person’s age, so many men and women want to remove them for cosmetic reasons. You can remove age spots using many different methods: OTC and prescription medication, home remedies, or by using professional skin treatments.
What are age spots?
Ways to prevent and reverse age spots
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Age spots are primarily triggered by years of sun exposure. When you are susceptible to the sun, melanin increases as a way of protecting itself. Along with preventing the sun from penetrating the skin too deeply, it makes skin darker. While you may love your new tan, over time melanin starts accumulating in tiny pockets all over your skin. This is how blotches and age spots form.
What causes age spots?
- Age: The more we age, the easier it is for age spots to appear due to years of sun exposure or liver toxicity.
- Sun Exposure: Spending a lot of time in the sun will make you more prone to getting them. Our bodies create melanin to protect us from sunburn, and more sun means more melanin production and a greater chance of age spots developing.
- Hormones: Major hormonal changes in life, can cause an increase in the pigmentation of our skin. Hormonal fluctuations that occur in pregnancy and menopause may shift and create a huge boost in the amount of localized pigmentation to certain areas.
- Genetics: If your parents, aunt or even your cousin have age spots, it’s an indication that you are more prone to also getting age spots.
How can you reverse age spots?
By nourishing the skin with antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, and other essential nutrients, you can start to restore the delicate balance and tone to decrease hyperpigmentation and to help clear up these spots. You can get a more youthful look by using natural skin care products on your face and body. Thankfully, there are ways you can reverse liver spots and deter new ones from forming.
- Stay in shaded places between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.The sun’s UV rays are harshest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and can cause the most damage in that time frame.
- Put on sunscreen every day. Even when it is not sunny, your skin is exposed to the sun’s UV rays. So despite whether you think you need sunscreen or not, it’s best to run some on your face, chest, arms, and hands. Dermatologists recommend wearing at least SPF 30 sunscreen.
- Apply sunscreen before going outside. Do you usually apply sunscreen after you are already out in the sun? Perhaps you apply it as you’re laying by the pool or after you get to the beach. If that’s the case, it is time to change your sunscreen routine. Instead, apply it at least 30 minutes before going out and reapply every two hours.
- Wear some protective clothing when you are out in the sun. Hats and gloves go a long way in shielding the skin from sun damage.
- Balance your hormones. A lot of estrogen in relation to progesterone can contribute to more age spot formation. A few warning signs include: An increase in weight, Mood fluctuations, Exhaustion, Breast swelling and tenderness, and Abnormal menstrual cycles. If your estrogen is dominant eat a hormone balancing diet packed with a lot of fruits, vegetables, fiber, a modest amount of good fats, and protein. This would be a good time to detox and reduce stress.
- Consume foods rich in antioxidants. Free radicals in the body can cause premature aging and age spots. Eating antioxidant-rich foods will help fight those free radicals.
- Use a good dark spot corrector cream
How to remove age spots
Using OTC and Prescription Products
Use hydroquinone cream
Hydroquinone is a very useful bleaching cream which can greatly reduce age spots. It is available in concentrations of up to 2% in over-the-counter medication but can be higher in prescription ones. Be aware that hydroquinone is potentially carcinogenic and its use has been banned in some countries.
Try Retin-A
Retin-A is a great anti-aging skin care product which is used to fight fine lines and wrinkles, improve the skin texture, elasticity and fade discoloration, fix sun damage, including skin spots. Retin-A is a vitamin A derivative available as a cream or gel, in differing strengths. It is only available through prescription, so you will need to consult your doctor before using it. It helps to remove age spots by exfoliating the skin, removing the outer hyperpigmented layer and revealing the fresh, new skin below.
Select products with glycolic acid
Glycolic acid is a kind of alpha hydroxy acid usually used in chemical peels. It works by exfoliating, diminishing the look of fine lines, wrinkles and age spots. When sold OTC, it is found in cream or lotion form, which is applied and left on the skin for some minutes, before rinsing it off. The acid can be quite harsh on the skin, sometimes causing redness and some discomfort. You should always moisturize after using glycolic acid products.
Find products that contain salicylic and ellagic acid
These 2 ingredients have been known to help lighten age spots. Speak to your dermatologist to see what they suggest, or check labels on products to find one that has both.
Apply sunscreen before going outside
Sunscreen will not help reduce the appearance of your existing age spots, but it can prevent new ones from forming since they are caused fundamentally by sun damageAlso, the sunscreen will prevent the existing sunspots from getting any darker or more noticeable. You should put on sunscreen that contains a zinc oxide base and an SPF of at least 15 daily, even if it’s not hot or sunny.
Using Home Remedies
Lemon juice
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Lemon juice contains citric acid, which can bleach age spots. Simply dab some fresh lemon juice directly onto the spot and let it sit for about 30 minutes before rinsing it off. Do this twice a day, and you begin to see results in about a month or two. Lemon juice makes your skin more photosensitive and could worsen age spots so never leave lemon juice on your skin if you are planning on going outside. It can be irritating to sensitive skin, so try diluting it to half strength with water or rosewater before use.
Use apple cider vinegar
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Apple cider vinegar is a vital ingredient in many home remedies, including one for age spots. Apply some ACV directly onto the liver spots and leave it on for 30 minutes before it rinsing off. Only use this remedy once a day, as apple cider vinegar can cause skin dryness. You should start to see a change in the look of the age spots after about six weeks. For added benefit, mix one part ACV with one part onion juice (which you can obtain by straining a chopped onion) and apply this to the spots instead.
Apply aloe vera
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Aloe vera is utilized to treat many skin ailments, including age spots. Simply rub some fresh aloe vera gel (preferably taken directly from the plant) onto the afflicted area and leave it to soak in. As aloe vera is very gentle, you do not need to rinse it off. However, you can rinse it off if it starts to feel sticky. If you don’t have access to fresh gel from an aloe plant, you can purchase fresh aloe vera gel or juice at the market or a health food store.
Massage your skin with castor oil
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It is known for its skin healing qualities and has proven effective in the treatment of sunspots. Apply castor oil directly onto age spots and massage it into the skin until it is absorbed. Do this once twice a day, in the morning and evening, and you should see an improvement in about a month. If you suffer from skin dryness, mix in a little coconut oil, olive oil or almond oil in with the castor oil for more moisturization.
Try sandalwood
Sandalwood is believed to have effective anti-aging attributes and is often used to diminish the look of age spots. Mix a pinch of sandalwood powder with some drops of rose water, glycerin, and lemon juice. Apply this paste to the spots and leave to dry for 20 minutes before rinsing it off with cold water. Alternatively, you could also massage a drop of pure sandalwood essential oil directly onto the sunspots.
Using Professional Skin Treatments
Speak to a dermatologist about laser technology to eliminate age spots
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Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) lasers are quite useful in removing age spots. During the treatment, an intense laser light enters the epidermis and triggers the skin to rejuvenate. The strength of the light disperses the skin pigments thus destroying the discoloration.The treatment is not painful but may cause some discomfort. An anesthetic cream is applied thirty to forty-five minutes before the procedure.The number of sessions needed will depend on the size of the skin affected and spots to be treated. Generally, 2 to 3 sessions will be enough. Each session can last from thirty to forty-five minutes. The treatment requires no downtime, but inflammation and sensitivity to sunlight can occur. Although laser treatment is very effective, its major downside is the price. Depending on the kind of laser used (Q-switched ruby, alexandrite or Fraxel dual laser) and the number of spots requiring treatment, prices can range from $400 to $1500 per session.
Try microdermabrasion treatments
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Microdermabrasion is a non-invasive skin treatment. The machine blasts crystals, zinc or other abrasive materials directly against the skin, exfoliating the top layers to remove the dark, hyperpigmented skin. Microdermabrasion needs no downtime and no side effects. A session can last from 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the section being treated. Sessions are usually 2- to 3-week apart. Typically, 2 to 3 sessions will be needed. Prices range can be $75 or more per session.
Get a chemical peel
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A chemical peel works by dissolving the dead skin so new; radiant skin will emerge. During a chemical peel, the area being treated is thoroughly cleaned, and a gel-like acidic substance is smeared on. The area is then neutralized to arrest the chemical process.Side effects include redness, peeling and irritation, which may require some downtime to heal. Generally, two treatment sessions are needed, which are administered in 3- to 4-week intervals. The prices can be $250 or more per session.
Warnings: If the spots change in size or color, you should have them examined by a doctor, as this may be a sign of skin cancer.
