Age Spots

Who does not want to grow old gracefully and beautifully? You bet everybody wants to be pretty even at his or her gray hair days. As one grows older, he or she had been exposed to elements of nature quite longer. One of these is too much exposure to sunlight that has a contrasting effect on the skin.

Age spots or sun spots as they are called are flat and brown skin discolorations. They usually appear on the face, hands and neck of people above 40’s. These spots are totally harmless. More often that not, age spots betray one’s age.

Also called lentigines, age spots occur because of the sun exposure of a person over so many years. These could be signs of sun damage. You will notice that there are no age spots on you thighs, inner thigh to be specific. That is because it is rarely exposed to the sun. As mentioned, sun spots are inoffensive and do not call for medical assistance unless you notice they are growing and getting bigger.

One certain mean to prevent development of age spots later in life is to apply sunscreen on the skin before reaching the age of 40. Before it is too late, avoid too much sun exposure and always wear some covering. These not only protect you from age spots but from wrinkles and skin cancer as well.

Latest treatment for age spots is the alpha hydroxy acid gel. Example of this is the NeoStrata Gel Plus – AHA. Another is the beta hydroxy acid gel. You can use any of these. The gel lightens discoloration like freckles, pigmentation and of course, age spots.

You may also use an age spot cream such as Retin-A. You can practice putting this cream on your spots once each day for the six months. This lightens large age spots, disappearing the small ones.

Alpha hydroxyacid peels can correct age spots. This is done by putting on mild degree of acid on the skin, allowing it to heal. But chemical peels are best for people with light hair, and blue eyes but still an effective treatment for any skin type.

The fastest way to rid of age spots is Liquid nitrogen therapy. Liquid nitrogen is a cold air in liquid form with -321 F. Once it is sprayed unto the skin, it whitens the mark after a month of treatment. It may sting and will cause a permanent scar or white spot.

Skin sanding, freezing, electric needle and acids can be treatments for age spots. Though they leave an occasional scar, they are good methods. The laser treatment is more precise though and does less damage to your skin. Radiation or light removes pigment without affecting the surrounding skin area.

Bleaching solutions like the hydroquinone is beneficial especially for fair skinned people. Irritation is possible for darker skinned people because of its active ingredient not suitable for highly pigmented skin. Because of this, there is an alternative remedy in which dark skinned people can choose from such as the kojic acid.

Selective tropical treatment is the benefit of mandelic adic and the intake of vitamin C rich products. These are convenient for advancing the fading process. Kojic acid leaves no irritation. It is only newly found out but it proves to be successful not only for age spots but any pigment problems. It is an alpha hydroxy acid with the same reaction and agility of the Hydroquinone.

The best way to prevent age spots is to protect oneself from the damaging rays of the sun. You may never see right away what it can do to you or your skin. In time, it will eventually show. While it is not yet too late to take extra precautions, do them now.