Most of us hardly care about our skin when it looks nice and fresh, we start to take that extra care only when something pops up. Age spots occur only when you fail to take proper care of your skin when you move out in the hot sun. Despite their name, age spots are not something that results due to age, these dark patches and spots on your skin that appears rounded or flat.
Do not be under an impression that these spots are occurring due to something that has gone wrong with your skin care in recent past, some sun damages take years even decades to show up. People who have maximum exposure to sunlight on a daily basis can get these spots much earlier in their lifespan. There are also few drugs that are used for diabetes and blood pressure can make you more vulnerable to sun damage.
Sadly there is no instant cure for age spots, as this condition is deep-rooted, it takes more time and proper care to fade it away. So next time when you get out of your home into hot sunlight, make it a point that your skin is properly protected.
How to lighten up Age Spots
- Use a fading cream called Porcelana, which contains about 2 percent of bleaching agent called hydroquinone. There are other creams available on the market that contains about 3 percent hydroquinone that is much more effective, but you need a professional dermatologist to prescribe you with one. So do not opt for it without Doctor’s advice. Also always follow the instructions provided in the package.
- Take a teaspoon of fresh lime extract and using a small cotton ball dab it over the dark spots two times a day. The lemon extract has acidic property, so it removes the outer skin layer and along with it fade away the age spots.
- Every day before going to sleep, take one teaspoon of honey and one teaspoon of yogurt, mix it well and apply this as a mask over the face and let it dry for 30 minutes and wash it off with fresh water. Honey and yogurt have bleaching properties that will lighten up the dark spots.
- Use fresh aloe vera gel, if possible take it from the leaf of a living plant. Apply aloe vera gel over the age spots and leave it for 3 minutes before washing it away. Aloe vera gel is rich in certain chemical compounds that flush away bad dead cells and makes way for newer and more healthy cells and fades away the dark patches in the process.
- Make use of buttermilk over the age spots. Buttermilk contains lactic acid that removes and lightens the dark spots. Spread some buttermilk all over the face before going to sleep or before starting your day in the morning, and leave it for 30 minutes. Wash it off in fresh water to recover from sun damage and pigments.
Cover it Up
Use a heavy foundation such Dermablend to mask the dark and pigmented ages on your skin before going to work or for a party. You can seek the help of a storekeeper or a salesperson to help you pick the right shade for your skin color.
How to Prevent it
- As much as possible prevent yourself from venturing into the hot sun. In particular during peak hours. Avoid exposure to sunlight from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. during summer, and from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. during winter seasons.
- Make use of right sunscreen product. Ensure the sunscreen contents have zinc oxide or titanium oxide and also it has protection factor (SPF) of 15 at the least. Cover up all the areas that are exposed to sunlight with the sunscreen cream. Remember any sunscreen can only protect you for couple hours after the application, so if you are staying out for longer duration then reapply it for every two hours.
- You can protect yourself from the UV rays that penetrate your clothing by adding Rit sun guard while washing your clothes. It adds an extra layer of protection and maximises the protection factor of your clothing.
- If possible use some Vitamin-E oil when you are out in the sun for a longer duration. Exposure to sunlight produces free radicals over the skin surface and Vitamin E oil will help to neutralize these harmful molecules and protect you from skin damage.
When it needs Doctors Attention
Age spots or dark spots are generally very harmless apart from the fact that they can make you look dull and unattractive. But if these spots start to feel itchy, get big, turn more dark, or bleed then it must be immediately brought to Doctor’s attention. When home remedies are not working for you to get rid of age spots then a Dermatologist might make use of laser treatment, chemical peeling and other advanced treatments to cure the condition.