Treatment Of Age Spots

Age spots are also known as sun spots or lentigines. They are brownish discolorations of the skin which usually occur on the face, hands and neck of people as they age. Their location is no coincidence--they form in the areas which have taken the most sun damage over time.

If your sun spots emerge and then do not change, they are physically harmless. If they change or get bigger, you must go to a doctor immediately, as this is a strong warning sign that you may have developed cancer. Assuming, however, that your sun spots are benign, it's likely that you will want to do what you can to treat them because most people find them unsightly, and they are certainly one of the most obvious indications of aging.

You must wear sunscreen. If you don't do it already, you can start today. Every day that you wear sunscreen before the age of 40 is a step toward preventing sun spots. If you've started to get them, wearing sunscreen will keep you from getting as many more as you would have gotten if you continued to be exposed to the sun too much.

Commonly Available Treatments for Age Spots

There are a number of ways to lighten the sun spots that you already have. Alpha and beta hydroxy gels will lighten discolorations, as will Retin-A. Liquid nitrogen treatment can only be performed by a doctor, and is likely to be very effective, but runs the slight risk of causing scars. Chemical peels (which often use alpha hydroxyl acids or even stronger acids) are very effective, particularly for paler people with less natural skin pigmentation. Many cosmetic companies also offer lightening creams, which usually incorporate some form of the aforementioned chemicals.