5 Ways To Remove Age Spots And Bring Back The Luminosity Of Your Skin
You may not think negatively about the laugh lines on your face as it is a sign that you've had many happy moments in your life
. However, if you have not-so-subtle coffee-colored patches on your face, neck, and other sun-exposed areas, I believe you view them otherwise. There are several factors that contribute to hyperpigmentation: hormones, genes and over exposure to the sun. Most women suffer from skin discoloration as soon as they turn 40. Summer ends and your nice summer skin color slowly disappears. That is when the ugly spots become more visible. The exposure to strong sun rays during the summer can cause skin damage. Too bad the damages don't end when summer ends. The damages are the result of not only this year but also from the past years of sun exposure.
Using sunscreen is one way to reduce damages from UV rays. Even so, it does not protect you from the sun entirely.
Today, you are more concerned and aware about your skin than any woman of the last two decades. If you want to effectively eliminate those brown patches, you can. You just need to know what steps to take and what product to use.
Do You Know Why You Experience Brown Spots?
Your skin color is what it is because of the melanin produced by your skin. Under regular conditions, melanocytes would produce a certain amount of melanin. However, when you are under the sun for a long time, these cells will start to manufacture more melanin than usual. You see dark patches on your skin because those areas are experiencing an overdose of melanin pigments. So, if you want an even skin tone, you need to determine the type of spots on your skin.
Liver Spots
If a certain part of your body is exposed to the sun a lot, it is very likely for age spots to appear there. You won't see the skin damage immediately but prolonged sun exposure will lead to the development of spots months or years later. These spots will remain visible unless you do something about them. Fortunately, sun spots develop in the epidermis. The chances of fading it with treatment is good.
Chloasma
Melasma or chloasma is the result of hormonal changes during pregnancy or from birth control pills with the effect of sun exposure. The symmetry of the patches on the face is unique to chloasma. The darkened areas are blotchy and have a brownish tone. You can find them mostly on cheeks, upper lip and forehead. Chloasma can be frustrating because it can easily happen again even after you've successfully treated it.
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
If you have dark skin, you are more prone to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Have you ever noticed your skin becoming darker after your wound or acne has healed? That's what we're talking about. This form of hyperpigmentation will take longer time to fade because the excess melanin is buried deep beneath the epidermis.
Do not expect to correct your pigmentation woes in a few weeks. Nevertheless, improvements to your skin is possible if you do the right thing.
The best way to treat hyperpigmentation is stop it from surfacing in the first place. Get a broad-spectrum sunscreen as it can shield against UVA and UVB rays. Make sure you apply it on sun exposed areas every day to prevent cumulative effect on your skin.
Exfoliation is the method that will get rid of dead skin cells. You can use scrubs or fruit acids like alpha hydroxy acids on the affected areas. How does exfoliation help to improve your skin condition? Well, if you think about it, the dead skin cells form a barrier on top of your skin. By eliminating it, your skin can now absorb better whatever active ingredients you are using to treat it.
You can try over-the-counter natural skin lightening creams that contain licorice extract, azelaic acid, vitamin C, arbutin, grapeseed extract, niacinamide, and kojic acid. These natural ingredients help to deal with the overproduction of melanin by inhibiting the enzyme tyrosinase.
Many companies like to use kojic acid in their products. One thing you should know though is that it may not be suitable for people with sensitive skin. It can cause irritation. The prospects of niacinamide (vitamin B3) as a skin brightener is very good. This is based on recent clinical trials that demonstrate its effectiveness of fading discoloration in less than four weeks.
When should you consult your dermatologist? Probably when the over-the-counter products aren't helping at all. One of the common treatments is hydroquinone. It is a chemical commonly used in photography. It works in two ways to fade the spots. First, it reduces the total number of melanocytes. Second, it stops the production of tyrosinase. This will reduce the level of melanin, enabling the spots to fade quickly.
Over the last few years, the usage of hydroquinone had been monitored closely by the authorities after animal studies showed its relationship with cancer. On the other hand, there is little to no validity to such claims. Thus, most dermatologists today still prescribe hydroquinone when they treat their patients for skin discoloration. The animal studies are not considered to be valid because the animals were fed and injected with hydroquinone. On the other hand, no one has reported any toxicity after it is being used as a topical application for decades.
It looks like the benefits of using hydroquinone offset the risks that many people are fear of. The truth is that it works effectively for hyperpigmentation. How fast can you see some improvement on your spots? In this case, it just take a few days. The overall improvement should be seen in about six weeks. Subsequently, you can use an OTC product to maintain its results.
Some spots may need abrasive methods. These involve chemical peels, laser, and intense pulse light (IPL). Laser is best used when you have spots appearing on the outer layer of the skin.
Just in case that the affected cells are not fairly close to the epidermis but located deeper, a glycolic or salicylic acid peel can reach and suppress them.
It is best to keep your expectation low. All the improvement of your skin tone after treatments doesn't last. Depending upon the amount of sun your skin receives and your genetic predisposition, your spots could show up again progressively over the years or within weeks. So, it is better to avoid the sun and treat those spots early.
I think it is a good idea to visit your doctor for an annual skin exam especially if you have not done it before. Each time you observe some changes in the skin, these can serve as the early warning signs for the development of skin cancers.
by: Nancy Bynum
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