Age Spot
Many people think that an age spot is a natural part of getting older. The truth is that you have a lot of control over the signs of aging on your skin, and there are simple things you can be doing right now to help minimize the appearance of spots and wrinkles. No matter what your age is or how long you’ve been dealing with aging spots or age freckles, there are simple treatments available to help minimize their appearance while helping to restore the natural strength and beauty of your skin.
Age Spot Causes
An age spot is caused when the ability of the skin to fend off the effects of the sun and exposure to the elements isn’t as strong as it used to be. Over time, usually starting after a person turns 40, the skin becomes less adaptive and ‘freckles’ can show up where they never were before. In most cases, age-related spots are completely harmless and are just a visible sign that the skin isn’t repairing damage as well as it used to.
When your skin is exposed to the sun, a special pigment called melanin gathers to absorb sunlight and protect our skin from potentially harmful UV rays. Over time, melanin can build up and cause spots ranging in color from brown to red on the surface of the skin.
Most all age spot instances are caused by too much exposure to the skin. Normally, our skin can handle a good deal of sun without causing damage, but as it ages it becomes less resilient.
Age Spot Treatment
When it comes to the care of your skin, prevention is always the best treatment. The best way to avoid getting a sun spot is to always use sunscreen whenever you’ll be exposed to sunlight. Using sunscreen with the proper SPF is a simple way to protect your sensitive skin now and in years to come.
If an age spot shows up, there are steps you can take to minimize their appearance or make them disappear completely. The most common age spot treatments include laser remedies, freezing, dermabrasion, and chemical peels. All of these treatments are suggested for more intense discoloration issues.
For less intense discoloration, there are also gentle lotions you can easily find that help lighten the color of the age spot so that it cannot be easily seen. Lotions are usually the first place most people start when treating any kind of skin discoloration issues. These lotions contain a skin bleaching solution and can sometimes also contain a mild steroid to help your skin rebuild itself in a healthy and smooth way.