How to Reduce Age Spots

By eHow Fashion, Style & Personal Care Editor

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Age spots, also known as liver spots, are common in fair-skinned people over 50.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Sunscreen Suntan Lotion
Fade cream

Step1

Prevent them from getting worse by using a sunscreen when you go out, paying particular attention to your face and hands. Make sure you choose a sunscreen that blocks UVA and UVB rays and has an SPF of at least 15. Age spots are caused by a lifetime of exposure to the sun, so you can stop them from getting worse by covering up.

Step2

Wear a long-sleeved shirt and wide-brimmed hat when you know you'll be in the sun.

Step3

Use an alpha-hydroxy cleanser and lotion on areas of the skin that have age spots. It helps to fade them.

Step4

Apply a fade cream like Esoterica or Ambi to the skin at night. They help to restore skin to a uniform color. The prescription medication Retin-A works like a fade cream on age spots.

Step5

Have a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon remove them with a laser if nothing else works.

Tips & Warnings

If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

Comments

AppleADay said

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on 7/16/2008 Laser treatement by a dermatologist is the fastest way to get rid of these spots but don't waste your money on it if you are unwilling to wear sunblock every day on your face and hands afterward. (You'll just get new spots.) A cheaper way to get rid of them, albeit slower, is to use a fading cream. Currently the best cream to get rid of age spots is Tri-Luma, which is available in a generic version to save money. This cream contains 4% hydroquinone (you can only get 2% strength without a prescription), plus Retin-A (generic name is tretinoin) and a steroid to reduce the harsh effects of the Retin A (redness, peeling.) I wouldn't waste my money on any store or internet product. As for the UK banning hydroquinone, there's nothing to be alarmed at with this ingredient. The only ill effects known to have occured have been with high doses to which people were exposed in industrial setti

Anonymous said

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on 6/30/2006 Liver spots are brownish, yellowish blemishes which are often first noticed on the arms and hands, then the face. They can also appear on the chest, back, and less frequently, the legs and torso.

Liver spots are a result of the skin trying to protect itself from sun exposure by producing an overabundance of melanin, the pigment in your skin. However, it's worth being aware that they can be brought on or increased by bad health, or problems with the liver functions.

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