How to Remove Hand Age Spots

Overview

Age spots occur as a result of the chemical melanin--the skin's pigment--clumping together. Sun exposure causes age spots and the hands are one of the areas where the blemishes commonly appear. Age spots will have a brown or blackish color and have a flat and oval appearance on the surface of the skin. If the spots change color or size, you should speak to your doctor about examining the blemishes.

Step 1

Choose an over-the-counter bleaching cream to get rid of age spots on the hands. Effective active ingredients in these creams include kojic acid, hydroquinone and deoxyarbutin, according to the Mayo Clinic. Some product examples include Reviva Labs' Brown Spot Cream and Iman Skin Tone Evener.

Step 2

Wash and dry your hands, then massage the bleaching cream into them. Wash any residue off of your palms once you are finished. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on how often you should use the cream. Most recommendations are that you apply the cream to the affected area twice daily.

Step 3

Use the cream for several weeks to clear up the age spots on your hands. The ingredients need to penetrate the surface to be effective. It may take several weeks or several months for the markings to go away.

Step 4

Speak with a cosmetic dermatologist or plastic surgeon if the cream does not work. If your age spots do not fade with the cream or you want faster results, set up a consultation with a doctor. Treatments may include cryotherapy, laser therapy, or chemical peels. During cryotherapy, a freezing agent is applied to the age spots on the hands to get rid of the extra pigment. For laser therapy, a concentrated laser is focused on the age spot to destroy the extra melanin. Chemical peels use acids to burn off the top layers of skin to fade the age spots. Multiple treatments may be required to fade all of the age spots.

How to Hide Age Spots

Overview

Age spots, sometimes referred to as liver spots, are dark, flat, brown, black or gray marks that vary in size. They usually appear on the face, back of the hands, arms and shoulders. While age spots are most common on people over the age of 40, they can develop on younger people as well, report doctors at the Mayo Clinic. While age spots typically are harmless, many people want to hide or remove age spots for cosmetic reasons.

Step 1

Apply a cream that contains a mild bleaching agent. Get a prescription for the cream from your doctor or dermatologist. Hydroquinone, or bleaching cream, often is used in conjunction with retinoids and mild steroids. The cream can cause age spots to fade over time.

Step 2

Destroy the melanocytes, which are the dark pigments in the skin that cause age spots, by getting laser therapy treatments. It usually takes several sessions to see any effects from the lasers, which Mayo Clinic doctors report are relatively risk-free.

Step 3

Get a chemical peel that burns the outer layer of skin and effectively hides the dark spots. Surface chemical peels can be performed by a cosmetologist. It can take several treatments to hide the darker spots.

Step 4

Try dermabrasion, which is a procedure that gently sands away the top layer of skin. The darkness of the age spot may be reduced, although dermabrasion can leave the skin temporarily red and swollen.

Step 5

Use an over-the-counter fade cream that contains hydroquinone glycolic acid, deoxyarbutin or kojic acid. The cream needs to be able to penetrate the through the top layer of skin to reach the pigment in order to effectively hide the age spot. Treatments must be often and regular and may cause side effects such as redness or itching.

Step 6

Rub concealer over the age spots to avoid expensive and potentially harmful cosmetic procedures. Apply a small amount of makeup to the dark spot and rub into surrounding areas to blend in with the skin.