Age spots, also called as liver spots are yellowish, brown or gray flat spots that look like large freckles and are usually caused by aging, too much sun, impaired liver function, and a dietary or nutritional deficiency. Age spots can appear on any skin that has been exposed to the sun, such as the back of the hands, face, feet and back. They are extremely common during and after middle age and are an indication of free radical intoxication. As they take years to form, eliminating them takes time too. Usually these spots are not considered dangerous; treatment is necessary for cosmetic reasons only. There are home remedies as well as medical procedures performed by dermatologists. Dermatologists usually prescribe creams containing Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA). Topical application of certain skin-lightening creams as well as over-the-counter bleaching creams and lotions is also found to improve the skin texture. Cryotherapy, dermabrasion, microdermabrasion or laser treatment may be also be recommended to get rid of these the liver spots.
Self care tips and Home-Remedies
* The best way to prevent age spots is to stay out of the sun. Use sunscreen, wear hats and protective clothing, and stay indoors during the middle part of the day when the sun is strongest. If you already have these spots, sun protection will help prevent further damage.
* Improve your diet to include fruits and vegetables, especially in raw form. Drink sufficient water.
* Avoid sweets, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and junk foods.
* Avoid rancid oils. Refrigerate all after opening; store nuts and seeds in the freezer or refrigerator; store grains in a cool place; avoid all fried foods as the hot cooking oils contain substances that damage the skin.
* Take beta carotene rich foods such as carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, mango, cauliflower, etc. and potassium-rich foods such as banana, potato, coconut-water, curd, soyabeans, orange, pumpkin, sweet potato, almonds, spinach, ground-nuts etc.
* As vitamin E is found to slow ageing and aid in tissue repair, consume vitamin E rich foods such as AlmondsCashewnuts, Peanuts, sunflower oil, sesame oil, peanut oil etc. Also, include vitamin C-rich foods such as guava (Amrud), papaya, Amla (Indian Gooseberry), grapes, oranges, tomatoes, etc in your diet.
* Rubbing fresh aloe-vera juice or Pure Aloe Gel on the spots will help fade them. Use the gel twice a day for a month or two. Aloe gel is also great for treating burns, sunburns, freckles and scars from pimples.
* Combine two parts of apple-cider vinegar with one part of orange juice and apply to the spots with a cotton ball.
* Buttermilk is not just a skin cleanser but also helps in getting rid of suntans and fade stubborn spots. Dab buttermilk on the spots, twice a day everyday. The spots should disappear within a month.
* Try using the Manjistha root powder. Add ½ a tsp powder to plain hot water and drink. Used externally as a paste by itself or with honey, it heals inflammation and gives the skin an even tone and smoothness.
* Dab some fresh lemon juice on the spots twice daily. Slowly the spots will fade away.
* Grate an onion and squeeze it through cheese cloth so that you have one teaspoonful of juice. Mix with two tsps of vinegar and rub into the spots. Do this two times a day until the spots disappear.
* 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.
* Take chick peas/Garbanzo beans(preferably fresh), mash about 1/3 cupful and add a little water. Alternatively, you can use Chickpea flour (Besan), mix it with water and then smear this paste on the spots and leave it there until it dries.
This is absolutely fantastic. Thank you.
ReplyDelete5
A very well written article which gets the message across clearly.
ReplyDeleteNearly everyone says or believes that that you can do very little to get satisfactorily rid of age spots and discolorations but this treatment worked absolutely wonders at permanently ridding my skin of pronounced scars as well as discolorations and age spots. The secret is to massage them over and over quite vigorously and that forces a new clear skin to surface. You have to be patient and keep up the massage on a daily basis for preferably 10 to 15 minutes or even more. You will start seeing improvements in about 5 to 7 days and greater results in 2 to 3 weeks.depending on how vigorously and for how long you have been able to massage. Keep it up and you will, overtime, get rid of all spots. If applied to entire face can give you a virtually blemish free and healthy skin..
ReplyDeleteUse any natural oil. I prefer olive as it is a modest cost, is a natural moisturizer, quickly absorbs into skin and does not leave face oily. If you do a Google search you will learn it's a good treatment for acne and oily skin. For best results, massage with a forward and back motion using finger tips and front and side of fingers depending where on face you massage. A circular motion is less effective.
I have started using undiluted ACV as a facial toner and I can’t beleive after 4 days what a difference I see in my own skin! The pores are much tighter and my face looks less tired and more vibrant. I hope that it also fades sun spots that I get during the summer. I use it at night and let it dry, and it feels great. I also take a glass of H20 to which I add about 2 TBSP of ACV vinegar a day, hoping to improve my hair quality & shine.
ReplyDeleteReally solid info! You're up on the latest facts re care of aging skin...well done!
ReplyDeletelemon juice is good, but you must mix it with water or the acid might damage your skin. half and half.
ReplyDeleteanything with vitamin c is good, you need to consume a good amount of it daily
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.
ReplyDeleteLaser treatment 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 occurred have been with high doses to which people were exposed in industrial setti
ReplyDeleteAnonymous
"Removal is the only way to make unwanted spots disappear totally
ReplyDeleteThe citric acid present in lemon makes the fruit one of the strongest remedies for skin lightening. Apply lemon juice to your age spots, using a cotton ball, twice a day
ReplyDeleteTry to use aloe vera juice or gel on your age spots twice a day to get better results.
ReplyDeleteI have a question what kind of onion are you useing is this any kind of onion.and also the acv is this vinegar I can't buy into the market. thanks.
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