Anti Aging

Age spots are mainly caused by long-term sun exposure. Although sun is the number one reason for developing age spots, smoking, a poor diet, poor liver function, and a diet rich in oxidized oils are also contributing factors.

These age spots are a result of the overproduction of lipofuscin, a dark substance produced by our cells. Age spots usually begin appearing when we are in our 30’s and, besides being unsightly, increase our risk of skin cancer. As is the case with most skin conditions, age spots are easier to prevent than to treat. Eating a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, carrots, yams, and other foods that are high in carotene will help reduce your chances of getting age spots in the first place. If you are already are suffering from age spots, don’t loose hope. There are options available to you to reduce the appearance of age spots, as well as improve the overall health of your skin.

There are several products on the market today that will help in diminishing the look of age spots. Fade creams are a popular choice among consumers. These over-the-counter creams contain moisturizers with a two percent hydroquinone content which is a bleaching agent that will aid in the fading process. Best results are obtained with the cream is used in conjunction with glycolic acid moisturizer. Prescription creams that contain vitamin A, such as Retin-A or Retinova, work more effectively than the over-the-counter fade creams.

There are more invasive options available to you for those suffering from a more serious case of age spots. Chemical peels are one of these options. Using 30%-70% glycolic acid, the fading factor is much more pronounced than in either of the creams mentioned above. The treatment is simple and can be done in a short session, even on your lunch break if need be. You will need more than one treatment to reach the full effects of the procedure.

Laser resurfacing is another option similar to the chemical peel. In this procedure, the age spots are literally burned off the skin’s surface with a laser and can be accomplished in one treatment. It does, however, have a recovery time of about one week and can be quite expensive.

For a more natural and cost-effective way to help prevent age spots simply limit your exposure to the sun and, when you are in the sun, wear sunscreen. Limit your alcohol intake and eat a well balance diet.

Brian Fong
http://www.NaturalVisage.com/

There are options available to you to reduce the appearance of age spots, as well as improve the overall health of your skin.

Tags: age spots, anti aging, beauty tips, skin care, skincare, women, youthful essenceage spots, anti aging, beauty tips, skin care, skincare, women, youthful essence

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Getting older doesn’t necessarily cause age spots. Too much exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun is more likely to cause these unattractive blotches, than maturity. This is why age spots are also called sun spots. Other factors that make you more susceptible to age spots (no matter what your age is) are smoking, a diet high in refined sugars and fats, a lack of vitamins, and over consumption of poor quality saturated oils. Age spots occur when our skin produces too much lipofuscin. Lipofuscinis is a dark substance that colors our skin pigment. Unsightly age spots can begin appearing as early as the late twenties but are most common after the age 55 (thus the name.)

Age spots are also known as liver spots. Other nicknames for age spots are brown spots, lentigo and sun spots. The name sun spot nickname of course comes from the fact that the skin darkens as the result of too much frolicking outside in the summer.

As is the case with most skin conditions age spots are much simpler to prevent than to cure. Your diet has a lot to do with reducing your chances of developing this unsightly condition. Eating a diet rich in orange vegetables (carrot and yams) and green leafy vegetables (collard greens and watercress) may help reduce your chances of developing these spots as you age. These foods are rich in antioxidants that help fight off damaging free radicals that are created as the result of too much exposure to the sun. They are also foods that are rich in Vitamin A and carotene, which also helps keep your skin in tiptop condition and more resistant to ultraviolet rays.

If you already have already developed age spots the good news is that there are some ways to diminish the way they look. There are several products on the market today that can fade them so they are less noticeable. The active ingredient in these over the counter products that is a chemical called hydroquinone. Hydroquinone is a mild bleaching agent that helps lighten the appearance of all kinds of dark skin discolorations including age spots, scars and freckles. Some prescription versions of this scream also contain topical vitamin A, which can also help fade the look of obnoxious age spots.

If your age spots are particularly unattractive or forming in an undesirable place where they are too obvious (such as on the face) there are some slightly more invasive ways to cosmetically treat the problem. One of the most popular cosmetic treatments for age spots is a chemical peel. These peels contain anywhere from 70% to 80 % glycolic acid and remove layers of skin to reduce the appearance of the spots.

Yet another option is laser resurfacing. In this procedure the age spots are literally burned away using a sophisticated, targeted laser. However this treatment only works well on very white skin with very dark age spots. This is because laser treatments need a contrast of colors (black on white) to do their job well. Darker age spots on dark skin do not respond well at all to these treatments. If the age spot is lighter, purple or an odd color laser resurfacing may also not succeed in removing it. Black or dark brown age spots on fair skin respond the best to this treatment.

Although most age spots are harmless blotches, the early stages of skin cancer can masquerade as innocent looking dark spots. Your physician or a dermatologist should check any spot that enlarges, thickens, changes color, itches or bleeds. Irregularly shaped dark spots that change in color or increase in size could be the early warning sign of serious skin cancers.

One cost effective and natural way to reduce age spots is to simply keep out of the sun and wear long sleeved shirts. You should always take precautions to protect all of your exposed skin if you know you are going to be in a place where there is likely to be a lot of ultraviolet light. Make sure that you always wear sunscreen when you are out during a sunny day. Limiting your intake of alcohol can also discourage a propensity towards developing the unattractive skin discolorations.

For more information on age spots, visit http://www.best-anti-wrinkle-creams.com/agespots.htm

Tags: age spots, anti agingage spots, anti aging

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