Age spots are collections of pigment caused by
exposure to the sun. (also called liver spots and solar lentigo) Age
Spots also called is Liver spots and solar lentigo. Age spots are flat,
gray, brown or black spots. Liver spots are flat brown-black spots that
usually occur in sun-exposed areas of the body. Liver spots are
extremely common after the age of 55 and occur most commonly on the
backs of hands or the forehead. True age spots are harmless and don't
need treatment, but they can look like cancerous growths. For cosmetic
reasons, age spots can be lightened with skin-bleaching products or
removed. Liver spots mostly appear in areas consistently exposed to
sunlight (the face and backs of hands, for example), although they also
are occasionally found on less exposed areas. Ultraviolet (UV) light
accelerates the production of melanin. Melanin is the dark pigment in
the epidermis that gives your skin its normal color. The extra melanin
is produced to protect the deeper layers of your skin —
creates the darker color of a tan. Age spots develop when the extra
melanin becomes "clumped" or is produced in higher concentrations than
normal. Skin discoloration is caused by increased pigmentation. Sun
avoidance and the use of good sun screen protection can help lessen the
appearance of both lentigines and freckles.
Age spots are harmless. Age spots range from
freckle-size to more than a centimeter across and can group together,
making them more prominent. Often, age spots are accompanied by other
signs of sun damage. Symptom is a skin lesion that is a painless, flat
patch or macule (area of skin color change). Liver spots are the result
of a "ceroid" pigment build up in the skin of older people. These
latter spots are the outward signs of free radical destruction within
the body. There is pre-oxidation of fats—in the cells instead
of in the liver. Free radical damage produces waste materials in cells
throughout the body, including the brain and liver. Liver spots do not
become cancerous. Still, if a spot changes in color, size, or shape.
Age spots can be treated with freezing, acids, skin sanding, electric
needle and any other methods which causes a superficial destruction of
the skin. Lasers are much more precise and less damaging to the skin
because light is used to selectively remove the pigment without
damaging the normal surrounding skin. There is also less pain and less
healing time required to recover from laser treatment than with
non-laser treatments. Liver spots can be lightened with skin-bleaching
products or removed by freezing with liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy).
Cryotherapy (freezing) or laser treatment may be recommended to destroy
the liver spots.
Age spots home
remedies Tips
1.Aloe.
Rubbing fresh aloe vera juice or gel on the spots will help fade them.
Use the gel twice a day for a month or two. Juice from the aloe plant
is excellent for healing burns and is also beneficial as a general
healing agent.
2.Apple
cider vinegar Combine two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
with one teaspoon of orange juice and apply to the spots, preferably on
a cloth or cotton pad that is secured to the area.
3.Bilberry
herb slows some of the aging processes and acts as an
antioxidant. Take 4-8 oz. of fresh berries, 80-160 mg of bilberry
extract (25% anthocyanidin), or 20-40 mg anthocyanosides daily.
4.Buttermilk
Dab buttermilk on the spots. The lactic acid and other ingredients in
the milk are beneficial to the skin. Buttermilk has been used for
generations as a skin cleanser and as a beauty aid.
5.Castor
oil Apply castor oil on the spots in the morning and in
the evening, and rub well into the skin. The spots should disappear
within a month.
6.
Take fresh or canned chick peas (garbanzo beans), mash
about 1/3 cupful and add a little water. Smear this paste on the spots
and leave it there until it dries.
7.Dandelion
Break open a dandelion stem and rub the sap on
the spots 2-3x per day. Good for warts, too. Will Greer (Grandpa
Walton) used this method successfully.
8.Using
the ancient Chinese herb gotu kola. Mix 1/8 teaspoon of
powdered herb into a cup of herbal tea or add it to plain hot water
along with 1/8 teaspoon of ginseng and a pinch of cayenne. This remedy
should clear the spots in a few days.
9.
Mix one teaspoon grated horseradish root, 1/2 teaspoon
fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon vinegar, and 3 drops rosemary essential
oil. Dab onto your age spots with a cotton ball once or twice a day
(less if you have sensitive skin); it will exfoliate the top layer of
skin and your spot should lighten. Jeanette Jacknin, M.D. in Smart
Medicine for Your Skin.
10.Some
fresh lemon juice on the spots twice daily. If you are
going outdoors, wait for the juice to dry as it increases the skin's
sensitivity to sunlight. It may take a few months, but the acidity in
the juice will cause the spots to fade away.
Juliet Cohen writes articles for health care clinic and home remedies. She also writes
articles on beauty
tips