Best Treatment Options to Get Rid of Liver Spots (Age Spots)
How to Get Rid of Liver Spots or Age Spots
Age spots appear as brown spots on the skin and typically appear as we age. These brown spots are caused by extra melanin production in the skin. Melanin is a dark pigment in the epidermis and is responsible for giving the skin its natural color. The ultraviolet light from the sun actually increases the production of melanin. After many years of sun exposure, age spots start to appear. The extra melanin that is produced begin to clump together, which results in a brown age spot.
Because it takes many years of exposure to the sun for these dark spots to appear, they are referred to age spots because they are spots that some people get as they age. But in reality, the excess melanin is developing through the years before the liver spots begin to actually be visible on the skin. The use of tanning beds and tanning lamps can also cause age spots.
Age spots generally occur on the face, hands and arms – all places that are exposed to the sun more than other parts of the body. Your genetic makeup actually plays a part in how likely it will be for you to develop age spots. Although most liver spots or age spots are not caused simply because we age, it is true that some people may develop age spots due to the process of aging because aging can cause an increase in the production of melanin, which would then cause age spots.
If you have age spots already or believe that you may be more prone to them because of genetics or family history of age spots, you can wear protective clothing while you are outside in the sun. You can also apply sunscreen which can help to reduce liver spots and protect the skin. If you haven't yet developed any age spots, then keep in mind that you should avoid excessive exposure to the sun and wear sunscreen if you are going to be in the sun for a prolonged duration.
Age spots generally occur on the face, hands and arms – all places that are exposed to the sun more than other parts of the body. Your genetic makeup actually plays a part in how likely it will be for you to develop age spots. Although most liver spots or age spots are not caused simply because we age, it is true that some people may develop age spots due to the process of aging because aging can cause an increase in the production of melanin, which would then cause age spots.
If you have age spots already or believe that you may be more prone to them because of genetics or family history of age spots, you can wear protective clothing while you are outside in the sun. You can also apply sunscreen which can help to reduce liver spots and protect the skin. If you haven't yet developed any age spots, then keep in mind that you should avoid excessive exposure to the sun and wear sunscreen if you are going to be in the sun for a prolonged duration.
Choose sunscreen that will effectively protect the skin from UV rays. The sun is vital to health so be sure to expose yourself to the sun enough to reap the benefits, just avoid excessive sun. If you are more prone to age spots, you may also want to avoid tanning beds.
Treatment Options for Liver Spot Removal
There are some ways to remove and treat age spots, some are thought to be safer than others.
One liver spot removal method is to get bleached by topical treatments. Some bleaching creams are sold over the counter and contain hydroquinone. Dermatologists also have several tools that can be used to remove age spots, such as liquid nitrogen that would freeze the age spot which would be causing it to peel off after four or five days. Another option, which is considered to be more gentle, is laser therapy to reduce and treat age spots.
For someone with a significant amount of age spots, an extensive peel can be used. It takes about a week for it to shed completely. This particular peel is called the TCA (trichloroacetic acid chemical peel) and it can be harsh on the skin. It may not be recommended for those with very sensitive skin. It will cause reddening and swelling for a few days and then it will appear as if you have a sunburn. The skin will peel and the age spots will disappear after 4 or 5 days.
There are other peels that are more gentle and work more slowly, such as the Retin-A peel which is prescription cream. You can find non-prescription creams as well and the main ingredient is Vitamin A. When applied to the skin, it supports the body's natural exfoliation process and helps to shed old skin cells.
Another common treatment for age spots is a cream with Alpha Hydroxy Acic (AHAs). This type of cream is one of the most commonly recommended by dermatologists. This type of cream is applied to the skin and is used to treat age spots as well as scars, wrinkles and acne. The AHAs in the cream help to breakup the cells and stimulate the dead skin cells to shed. Once the skin sheds, a new layer of skin cells grow to replace the liver spots.
There are also some common age spot treatments that can help to reduce the appearance of age spots. One is called Soft Tissue Augmentation. In this particular treatment, collagen is injected into the skin. We naturally have collagen in our skin and one of its jobs is to create new and healthier skin cells to replace old ones.
Microdermabrasion is another treatment option for liver spots where a metal brush is applied to the skin in the area where age spots have settled. The process brushes off skin cells so that new skin cells can grow in their stead.
Those with naturally light-toned skin may be more prone to getting age spots, as are those who have had frequent sun exposure and sunburns. Age spots or liver spots are more common in older people simply because they've had so many years of exposure to the sun. These brown spots can actually appear during the late twenties, thirties and forties for those who have experienced a lot of sun and experienced many sunburns. Luckily, there is a wide variety of age spot treatment options available that will work for all different skin types.
