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Treatments For Age Spots

Age spots, also called liver spots, commonly affect people as they get older. Face age spots or on the hands and shoulders usually appear around someone's late 30's or early 40's. They can also affect younger people as well.

These skin age spots are believed to be a direct result of sun exposure. Age spots usually appear to be brown or gray and are flat. People with light or fair skin have a greater risk of getting these age spots.

Remove Age Spots

The best way to combat age spots is to avoid too much exposure to the sun and avoid them in the first place. It IS possible to remove age spots using age spots cream, or other age spots treatment. These include bleaching products, chemical peels, and laser treatment. And for cosmetic reasons, liver spots or age spots can be lightened with skin bleaching products or removed at your dermatologist's office.

Prescription bleaching creams are often used to fade age spot, alone or in conjunction with retinoids. Using these creams, age spots will gradually fade, but usually reappear once treatment stops. Bleaching cream makes the skin more sensitive to the sun, so caution should be used with this treatment.

Laser therapy is another way how to get rid of age spots, as is freezing them off. These options are only available by seeing a dermatologist.

Dermabrasion has also shown some positive results in getting rid of age spots. Dermabrasion rapidly removes the top skin layers, and new skin grows in its place. Chemical peels work in much the same fashion.

An over-the-counter treatment for age spots is Alpha hydroxy acid. This sloughs off dead skin cells and is an effective treatment for acne and wrinkles as well.

There is also an all-natural remedy for age spots that you can make at home, with ingredients from your kitchen. The ingredients you need are:

• 1 tsp. Grated horseradish root
• ½ tsp. Fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp. Vinegar
• 3 drops rosemary essential oil.

Mix these ingredients together and dab on with a cotton swab once or twice daily. Use less frequently if irritation occurs.

Decide with your physician which treatment for age spots will be best for you. Because they are considered a cosmetic problem, most health insurance companies will not pay for treatment.

Most people will have to deal with age spots or liver spots as they get older. Even though age spots are usually not problematic, some people think they are unsightly and wish to get rid of them. The options for this vary, and are really a matter of personal preference and finances. Which spot treatment will you use?

The previous article on anti aging is Keeping Hair Healthy.

Other wiki resources:  cellular aging; obesity and age; aging enzyme; immune system and aging; collagen and skin