What Age Spots (Liver Spots) Look Like?
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Age spots (or liver spots) are dark, flats spots that are very prevalent on the skin of elderly individuals. They aren’t harmful and do not require treatment procedure. You can prevent age spots by staying away from harmful exposure of the sun. Whenever you start approaching 50 years old, you’ll begin to witnessing age spots on your skin, particularly if you have a pale skin surface. They’re as a result of many years of exposure to UV rays from the sun. If you spend a lot of time in the sun, you may begin forming age spots earlier than usual. It is the reason it’s so crucial to attend to your skin whenever you spend time under the sun rays.You’ll typically see liver spots on your arms, hands, shoulders, tops of your upper and back feet. These are the regions of the human body that come into contact with the sun the most. Even though age spots vary in size, you’ll usually see the following characteristics when identifying an age spot:
- Flat and oval areas of skin blemish
- Tan, brown or black
- Form in sections that are commonly bare to the sun rays
Age spots Overview
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Age spots, which are also known as solar lentigines or liver spots, don’t protrude above the skin, oval spots that form on parts of your body that are usually in exposure to the sun; these are your face, backs of the hands, tops of the feet, arms shoulders, and upper end. Liver spots vary in size and can be black, tan, or brown in appearance.Liver spots or age spots are quite typical among adults older than 50 years. However, younger people also tend to develop them, mainly if they stay for a long time under the sun. These spots usually form in individuals who have fair skin tones. However, individuals that have darker complexions can also suffer from them. Even though age spots are at other occasions know as liver spots, they don’t have any correlation with either the liver function or the liver.Age spots may appear as carcinogenic growths. However, age spots are not dangerous and do not need any treatment. For beauty standards, you can decide to lighten age spots by using skin-bleaching products or demolish them. But, you can keep your skin’s youthfulness by preventing liver spots by staying away from the sun and applying sunscreen.Because age spots can look like precancerous or cancerous growths, it is crucial always to tell your dermatologist to know if you develop unusual marks and have them examined.
Age spots Symptoms
These blemishes form like a patch or part of skin color alteration that can either be painless, flat and light brown to black.
Age spots Causes
Age spots are as a result of years of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun. Using commercial tanning beds and tanning lamps may also contribute to the formation of liver spots. There’s the pigment within the epidermis- which is the upper layer of skin that enables your skin surface to attain the normal color known as melanin. UV light accelerates the production of melanin, forming a tan that assists in protecting deeper layers of your skin from sun rays.Age spots form when melanin becomes clumped or come about in unusually high levels, such as on parts of the skin that have years of frequent and constant sun exposure. Other individuals have a hereditary inclination to liver spots. Age spots may form at an early age, even in childhood, though they are more common in older people, especially in those who have spent too much time in the sun.
Age spots Symptoms
Age spots form like a patch or part of skin color change that can be painless, flat, or light brown to black. Precancerous and cancerous blemishes, on the other side, may appear in a lot of different forms. Sores or spots related to skin cancers can be:
- small, shiny, or waxy
- flaky and rough
- crusty or bleeding
- firm and reddish
Types Of Dark Spots
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Depending on the type of dark spot, you can opt for either a natural and homemade remedy or a cosmetic solution that will work the best to get rid of it.
Melasma
Melasma is the dark spots that form in a splotch-like appearance on your cheeks. Hormonal imbalances, thyroid dysfunction or hormonal therapy treatment, can lead to this type of dark spots.
Lentigines
Lentigines are dark spots that seem scattered and don’t have a particular pattern. They are what we commonly know as ‘liver spots’ that look on the skins of the elderly. They are a direct consequence of too much exposure to the dangerous ultraviolet rays of the sun.
Pimple marks
Whenever a pimple gets infected with any bacteria, it can become excruciating and leave a scar or mark after it bursts. This mark can then transform into a dark spot.
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation
Any trauma or injury caused to the skin due to abrasions, burns, acne, and so on, leading to inflammation, can later cause the formation of dark spots in that region.
How To Diagnose Age Spots
A diagnosis of a liver spot is made based on the look of a human’s skin surface, mainly if the individual is over the age of forty and has had a great deal of sun exposure of time. An age spot looks irregular and might be biopsied to check that it is not skin cancer. Below is what Diagnosing age spots may involve:
- Visual examination. Your dermatologist can usually diagnose age spots by observing your skin surface.
- Skin biopsy. Your doctor may carry out other tests, like a skin biopsy, to assist in distinguishing an age spot from other conditions, for example, skin cancer.
Living With Age Spots
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Age spots are not harmful to your health status. They are permanent skin changes that affect how your skin looks.Many lotions and creams are available for lightening age spots. These may improve the look of age spots, according to how dark the spots are and how often you apply the lotion or cream. Standard use of these topical creams over a lot of weeks or months may be necessary to give you noticeable outcomes. Consult your doctor or dermatologist for advice on picking a lightening cream. A lot of over-the-counter (nonprescription) fade creams have hydroquinone, glycolic acid, or kojic acid; however, some of these products may cause skin irritation.Reach your healthcare specialist if you have age spots and want to remove them or if you start forming any new sign, particularly variations in the appearance of an age spot.Prevent age spots by being safe in the sun is the best way to maintain your skin’s healthy appearance. Guard your skin surface against the harmful UV rays by protecting your skin using clothes such as hats, long-sleeved shirts, pants, or long skirts when you spend your time outside. You can use sunglasses to cover your eyes; avoiding the sun at midday when the sun rays are at their peak, and utilizing high-quality sunscreens that have an SPF rating of a minimum of 30. Spread sunscreen at least 30 minutes before you step out into the sun and reapply it as often as you want. You can also choose to use sunscreen in the winter.
