| Getting older doesn't necessarily cause age spots. Too | | | | scars and freckles. Some prescription versions of this |
| much exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun is | | | | scream also contain topical vitamin A, which can also |
| more likely to cause these unattractive blotches, than | | | | help fade the look of obnoxious age spots.If your age |
| maturity. This is why age spots are also called sun | | | | spots are particularly unattractive or forming in an |
| spots. Other factors that make you more susceptible | | | | undesirable place where they are too obvious (such as |
| to age spots (no matter what your age is) are | | | | on the face) there are some slightly more invasive |
| smoking, a diet high in refined sugars and fats, a lack | | | | ways to cosmetically treat the problem. One of the |
| of vitamins, and over consumption of poor quality | | | | most popular cosmetic treatments for age spots is a |
| saturated oils. Age spots occur when our skin | | | | chemical peel. These peels contain anywhere from |
| produces too much lipofuscin. Lipofuscinis is a dark | | | | 70% to 80 % glycolic acid and remove layers of skin |
| substance that colors our skin pigment. Unsightly age | | | | to reduce the appearance of the spots.Yet another |
| spots can begin appearing as early as the late | | | | option is laser resurfacing. In this procedure the age |
| twenties but are most common after the age 55 (thus | | | | spots are literally burned away using a sophisticated, |
| the name.)Age spots are also known as liver spots. | | | | targeted laser. However this treatment only works well |
| Other nicknames for age spots are brown spots, | | | | on very white skin with very dark age spots. This is |
| lentigo and sun spots. The name sun spot nickname of | | | | because laser treatments need a contrast of colors |
| course comes from the fact that the skin darkens as | | | | (black on white) to do their job well. Darker age spots |
| the result of too much frolicking outside in the | | | | on dark skin do not respond well at all to these |
| summer.As is the case with most skin conditions age | | | | treatments. If the age spot is lighter, purple or an odd |
| spots are much simpler to prevent than to cure. Your | | | | color laser resurfacing may also not succeed in |
| diet has a lot to do with reducing your chances of | | | | removing it. Black or dark brown age spots on fair skin |
| developing this unsightly condition. Eating a diet rich in | | | | respond the best to this treatment.Although most age |
| orange vegetables (carrot and yams) and green leafy | | | | spots are harmless blotches, the early stages of skin |
| vegetables (collard greens and watercress) may help | | | | cancer can masquerade as innocent looking dark |
| reduce your chances of developing these spots as | | | | spots. Your physician or a dermatologist should check |
| you age. These foods are rich in antioxidants that help | | | | any spot that enlarges, thickens, changes color, itches |
| fight off damaging free radicals that are created as | | | | or bleeds. Irregularly shaped dark spots that change in |
| the result of too much exposure to the sun. They are | | | | color or increase in size could be the early warning |
| also foods that are rich in Vitamin A and carotene, | | | | sign of serious skin cancers.One cost effective and |
| which also helps keep your skin in tiptop condition and | | | | natural way to reduce age spots is to simply keep out |
| more resistant to ultraviolet rays.If you already have | | | | of the sun and wear long sleeved shirts. You should |
| already developed age spots the good news is that | | | | always take precautions to protect all of your |
| there are some ways to diminish the way they look. | | | | exposed skin if you know you are going to be in a |
| There are several products on the market today that | | | | place where there is likely to be a lot of ultraviolet light. |
| can fade them so they are less noticeable. The active | | | | Make sure that you always wear sunscreen when |
| ingredient in these over the counter products that is a | | | | you are out during a sunny day. Limiting your intake of |
| chemical called hydroquinone. Hydroquinone is a mild | | | | alcohol can also discourage a propensity towards |
| bleaching agent that helps lighten the appearance of all | | | | developing the unattractive skin discolorations. |
| kinds of dark skin discolorations including age spots, | | | | |