How To Get Clearer Skin – Age Spots Disappear

Getting older can mean many things to different people. From belly fat to thundering thighs to wrinkles, it’s a time many people dread.

Another condition that is becoming more prevalent, especially in fair-skinned people over the age of 40, is age spots (also known as brown spots, dark spots, liver spots, sun spots, or solar lentigines).

If they’re bad enough, these blemishes, especially those on the face and hands, can make people look older than they really are.

Ask any dermatologist: Aside from wanting to know how to reduce wrinkles, how to get clearer skin in order to get rid of age spots is probably the most common question patients ask.

The good news is that these spots only affect the outermost layer of the skin. Therefore, there are many non-invasive treatment options available.

If you want to take matters into your own hands, there are several topical creams that can be purchased without a prescription. However, there are some that are only available by prescription.

For the topical route, a combination of the treatments labeled 1-5 below is perhaps the best approach.

Alternatively, you can seek the help of a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon. In this case, one or more of the treatment options labeled 5a-7 below may be available to you.

The following information seeks to explain the various treatment options to prevent and remove age spots. Hopefully, the information will help you ask the right questions when seeking treatment.

1. Avoid overexposure to the sun

Truth be told, age spots are generally not caused by aging. Basically they are hyperpigmentation (excess melanin in the skin) caused by sun exposure. The stains you are seeing now were years in the making.

So your age spots are basically a payoff for years of sun-drenched activities you did without adequate sun protection.

All those UV rays feed the melanocytes, which are cells that produce dark pigments. As a result, melanin is produced and then clumps into brown spots.

Therefore, it is best to avoid excessive sun exposure, as doing so could lead to more spots and darken existing spots. That being said, you do need some sun exposure because sun exposure brings some very important health benefits.

By using a sunscreen, you will be able to limit your exposure to the sun. However, not all sunscreens are the same. It is very important that you choose the right one.

You can also wear a wide-brimmed hat or stay in the shade to help prevent overexposure to the sun. Oh…and stay away from tanning beds too.

2. Use tyrosinase inhibitors

Have you ever seen those brown spots on the skin of damaged fruits? Well, that’s the tyrosinase enzyme in action. It does something similar to human skin.

In order for melanocytes to produce melanin, tyrosinase has to be present. Many skin lightening creams contain one or more tyrosinase inhibitors, ingredients like arbutin, hydroquinone, kojic acid, mulberry extract, and vitamin C.

When these ingredients inhibit the enzyme, they prevent more pigment from forming. However, you may have to wait a couple of weeks or even months to see noticeable results, as it takes time for the existing pigment to come off.

Hydroquinone is perhaps the most common of those inhibitors. It is the only ingredient approved by the FDA for pigmentation whitening.

Although hydroquinone is the gold standard for lightening age spots, it is quite a controversial ingredient. It can be quite irritating and is a suspected carcinogen.

Its use as a bleaching agent is actually banned in the European Union, but in the US it is still considered safe by doctors when used in lower concentrations.

In the US, over-the-counter hydroquinone bleaching treatments cannot have more than 2% of the ingredient, while prescription treatments can only have a maximum of 4%.

After achieving the desired result with hydroquinone, it is recommended to discontinue treatment.

3. Use PAR-2 ​​sunblock

Once skin pigment is produced, it is carried from melanocytes to skin cells in small “packages” known as melanosomes. Ingredients known as PAR-2 ​​blockers prevent the pigment from being deposited in the upper layers of the skin.

Look for treatments that contain niacinamide and soy that act as PAR-2 ​​blockers. But then again, patience is the name of the game. Improvement in your condition will not be noticeable until the pigment-containing cells are detached.

Niacinamide is also a good moisturizer. Moisturizes the skin and helps keep wrinkles at bay.

4. Lignin peroxidase

First identified in 1984, the lignin peroxidase enzyme is one of the newest ingredients to emerge in the fight against skin discoloration. This ingredient breaks down existing pigment, so skin lightening results can be seen more quickly.

There are many types of lignin peroxidase, but so far, only one has been developed and has been shown to be effective in lightening the skin. That enzyme, which has been patented as “Melanozyme,” is only available in the Elure line of products.

5. Exfoliate

Exfoliating regularly is a great way to speed up the removal of skin discoloration by helping to remove surface cells that contain pigment.

As you exfoliate, the cell renewal cycle speeds up to the point where melanocytes can’t produce pigment fast enough. At that point, your skin begins to clear and the age spots begin to fade.

Glycolic acid and retinol/retinoids are some of the most effective exfoliating agents out there. However, be sure not to over-exfoliate as this can cause skin irritation.

5A. dermabrasion

This is a procedure that is typically used to improve the appearance of facial skin left scarred by accidents and surgeries.

It is also often used to smooth out fine facial wrinkles, but it can also be used to remove dark or brown spots.

Dermabrasion is a procedure where the top layer of skin is basically sanded away. Subsequently, new skin begins to grow on the top layer.

It is not a very comfortable procedure but it works.

A less invasive procedure is microdermabrasion. Check with your dermatologist/plastic surgeon to find out which of these procedures is right for you.

5B. chemical peel

Similar to dermabrasion is a chemical peel (also known as chemexfoliation or derma peeling). This is a procedure in which an acid is applied to the skin to burn off the top layer.

Although chemical peels are generally used on the face, they can also be used to improve the skin on the neck and hands.

6. Laser and light treatments

Check with your dermatologist if he offers laser or light treatments.

This is a non-surgical approach that treats age spots with powerful light-based technology. The light kills melanin-producing cells without damaging the surrounding skin.

Some of the benefits of these procedures include:

=> Possibility of visible results from the first treatment

=> The treatment session may only last a few minutes depending on the size of the treatment area and the depth of the discoloration

=> Minimal discomfort (sometimes feels like a rubber band snapping against the skin)

=> Excellent treatment results

Possible side effects include blistering, itching, peeling, and redness.

Of course, cost is also an important consideration. Treatments can run into the hundreds per session, so if you’re on a tight budget, skin lightening creams or home treatments may be the way to go.

7. Cryotherapy (Freezing)

This procedure involves applying liquid nitrogen or some other freezing agent to age spots to remove excess pigment from the skin. As the area begins to heal, the skin becomes lighter.

Cryotherapy is usually used on an age spot or a small, close-knit group of spots. This procedure may temporarily cause skin irritation and poses a small risk of permanent discoloration or scarring.

8. How to Get Clearer Skin – Home Remedies

If you are going to use a home remedy to get rid of age spots, recognize that it may take a little longer than conventional treatments. Therefore, a little more patience will be required on your part.

When I was younger and had the occasional brown spot, one of the home remedies I used was lemon juice. He is something of a standard bearer for home remedies when it comes to dark spot removal.

Apply fresh lemon juice directly to your blemishes twice a day until you achieve the results you want. Lemon juice contains mild citric acid that is powerful enough to safely shed dead skin cells and reveal the fresh new layers of skin underneath.

Buttermilk contains lactic acid, which may work in the same way as lemon juice.

The combination of honey and yogurt results in another type of homemade bleach. Mix a teaspoon of each and apply to your age spots. Allow it to dry for about 30 minutes before washing it off.

For more detailed information on home remedies, check out this book on home remedies for skin whitening that I reviewed. I think you will find it very helpful.

9. Neutralizes stains

If you’re a woman, you can cover up individual spots with a peach-toned concealer before applying foundation. Concealers housed in a bottle tend to be thicker and contain larger amounts of pigment.

A good concealer to try is Bobbi Brown, which is available in 4 peach-based shades. Apply any of these shades with a flat makeup brush, then pat with your finger to blend.

For more diffused skin pigmentation, use a foundation like Pür Minerals Color Correcting Primer in Peach. Use concealer and primer sparingly, then apply your foundation.

Check to see if any discoloration or unevenness is still noticeable on the skin. If discoloration is still noticeable, lightly apply a light concealer that blends into the skin, similar to those you wear under your eyes.

word of caution

Since age spots can look like cancerous growths, it’s prudent to see your doctor if the spots are irregular in shape, grow, itch, are tender, or have unusual colors.

Be sure to check them out early too. Better safe than sorry.

Conclusion

The old adage: “prevention is better than cure” is very valid here. It is much easier to prevent unwanted skin pigmentation than it is to figure out how to lighten skin after age spots and other discolorations have appeared.

This is where avoiding overexposure to the sun and using sunscreen comes into play. Implementing these two items will help prevent age spots and will also help to lighten any spots you currently have.

If you haven’t already, start using an antiaging skin moisturizer, one that contains antioxidants vitamin C (a tyrosinase inhibitor) or vitamin E or both.

Both substances fight free radical damage (and wrinkles) and help prevent the appearance of brown or dark spots on the skin.