Everything You Need to Know About Age Spots
Age spots have several names such as liver spots, dark spots, or even sunspots. These are blotches on skin that appear due to aging or even exposure of the skin to sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiations. The areas that are most affected by these age spots include hands, face, arms, neck, and shoulders. These are the areas that are most vulnerable as these are exposed to the sun. These could be black, light brown to dark brown and even red. These spots make you look dull and lifeless. To get the best age spot treatments, it is important to know the causes.
Causes Of Age Spots
The causes that lead to age spots include skin’s exposure to the sun and they may also occur as a result of aging. When a person ages, basal cells form which accumulates at any particular spot can cause these spots too. Some of these cells consist of lipofuscin bodies which are impossible to get rid of. These aged cells affect the neighboring cells too. As a result, more cells become lipofuscin infected and show up as a spot at any particular place on the body. Age spot treatments hence become important as at times causes become unavoidable.
On the other hand when a person is exposed to the sun, the quantity of melanin generated inside the cells increase and as a result age spots or in this case, sunspots occur. These normally occur in areas of the body that are exposed to the sun.
Age Spots Treatment Options
There are a number of age spot treatments available. Some are home remedies while others include the use of medicines. The choice rests on you completely.
Natural Remedies
• Aloe vera : The best natural remedy for age spots is aloe vera. It is readily available, and you may even grow this plant at home. The gel is a good option, and it not only moisturizes the skin but has anti-inflammatory properties that help in keeping the skin young, free from any kind of spots.
• Apple Cider Vinegar : Apple cider vinegar consists of alpha hydroxy acids which are a perfect skin exfoliator, the same ingredient that is found in most of the anti-aging products available in the market. You just need to this vinegar over the spotted areas and repeat it on a daily basis to get the best results.
• Lemons : Lemons is the most widely known remedy used to treat age spots and is quite effective. Lemons comprise of citric acid which is efficient in eliminating dead skin cells and providing a vibrant healthy skin. Mix it with rose water and apply it to the age spots daily twice a day for best results.
• Tomatoes : Tomatoes again is a readily available ingredient and is very effective when it comes to treating age spots. Tomatoes comprise of enzymes and lycopene, which acts both as an antioxidant and a bleaching agent. Tomatoes help reduce the age spots by lightening the skin and make you look attractive.
• Castor Oil : Castor oil is a common remedy to treat age spots. You just need to take a bit of it and apply on all the age spots to see its magic. Massage it on all the spots until the oil gets absorbed.
Medical age spot treatments
• Chemical Peel : Chemical peel involves deployment of a chemical solution to remove the outer layer of the skin. This chemical solution is a form of acid that has burning properties in it. The skin burns and a new layer of fresh skin appear which is clear of any spots. Once you go through this treatment, it is advisable to avoid sun exposure. The skin may go red due to temporary exposure but that is not much of a concern.
• Freezing : This procedure is also called cryotherapy and involves deploying of a cotton scrub to apply liquid nitrogen or any other freezing agent onto the age spot affected area in order to get rid of the extra pigments. As a result of using this therapy, skin appears to be lighter and is suitable for people with only a few age spots.
• Laser and Intense Pulsed Light Therapy : Such kind of laser therapy helps in obliterating melanin generating cells while keeping the skin’s outer layer intact. Once you undergo this therapy, age spots fade away over a period of some weeks or months. You need at least 2-3 sessions. This therapy has few side effects, one of them being minor discoloration of the skin.
• Dermabrasion : This procedure involves rubbing of a swiftly rotating brush over the skin’s surface which in turn results in removing the old spotty skin. New fresh skin appears eventually. This therapy needs to be repeated 2-3 times and may cause temporary redness of your skin.
