How to Get Rid of Age Spots

Causes of Age Spots

Age spots have many names, and over the years, you may have heard them all. Liver spots and sun spots are just a few alternate terms for the same pesky problem. While they are not dangerous, they are annoying because they can make you look older than you really are. Review some of the causes of these blemishes and learn how to get rid of age spots.

Stress Factor

Your age spots may have popped up because of stress. Stress affects the skin and in this case makes it spot. Reduce your daily stress levels and lower your chances of developing spots.

Sun Exposure

Melanin is a dark pigment in the skin that goes to work when the skin is exposed to too much sun. Harmless melanin works to heal sun damage, but unfortunately the dark coloration of the pigment causes spotting.

Aging

Melanin is triggered by aging skin, too. Aging bodies are not as adept at detoxifying the system as younger bodies. The liver, kidney and intestines do less work detoxing, relying instead on the skin to take up the task at least partially. This skin detox triggers dark pigmentation leaving stains or spots on the skin.

Genetics

Although studies are not yet complete, there is significant evidence available that suggest genetics may play a role in age spots. Chances are if your parents were plagued with them, then you will be too.

How to Get Rid of Age Spots

Although they are non-cancerous and certainly not dangerous, you may still wish to have them removed. Try some of these treatments to lighten or reduce the spots.

• Prescriptions – Your physician may be willing to give you a topical prescription for a bleaching cream. A bleaching cream will fade your spots gradually over time. In order to get the best results, you should practice safe sun protection during and after using the bleaching cream.
• Laser treatments – A dermatologist or plastic surgeon can give you laser treatments to fade the spots away. To be effective, you will need to undergo several consecutive sessions to see the difference. This can take just a few weeks or a few months. This procedure is expensive, and some women report that is slightly painful.
• Freezing – Freezing off spots and warts has garnered a lot of attention in recent years. The technical name is cryotherapy, and it involves the use of liquid nitrogen. The nitrogen is placed on the spot, destroying the dark pigmentation. There is a slight risk of scarring because of the procedure.
• Microdermabrasion – Buff those spots away with a microdermabrasion treatment. You can purchase a kit to use at home or visit a skin care specialist. Microdermabrasion sands down the skin with a tool or rough exfoliant, scrubbing away the dark spots. There will be some redness immediately after the treatment but this will not remain. An at-home microdermabrasion treatment is one of the cheapest methods for fading spots.
• Natural methods - Go natural and use lemon juice on your spots. Citric acid in the lemon juice burns away the spots over time. Dab fresh lemon juice on your spots twice a day for a month.

Age spots are a fact of life for some, but you can fade or even erase these spots. Keep your skin protected from the sun and keep those spots at bay longer.