AGE SPOTS

Avoid Those Unwelcome Blotches

Age spots-those insidious little ”birthday freckless” that seem to pop up overnight-aren’t actually related to age at all. They’re the result of years of accumulated sun damage.

Age spots are harmless, but they can make use look-or feel-order. Which sort of adds up: the older you are, the more time and opportunity you’ve had to spend in the sun. so, voila, you have more “age”spots.

Like freckles and melasma (dark patches that can appear during pregnancy), age spot are caused by too much melanin, the hormone that creates pigmentation beneath the sureface of your skin. When repeatedly exposed to the sun, unprotected skin produced too much melanin.

Spot-Removal Strategies to try

Not surprisingly, age spots (sometimes called liver spot) generally occur on the face, back of hands and forearms, where we’ve gotten the most sun over the years. Chances are, these spots-properly known as solar lentigos-and some options for vanquishing them.

Double up on sunscreen. “The only way to stop blotches in their track is by sensible sun protection, “ says Nicholas Lowe, M.D., clinical professor or dermatology at the University of California, Los Angeles, Scholl of medicine. Experts recommended that you start out with a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher to block the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

“Apply it to the backs of your hands and to your face first thing in the morning, before you put on any moisturizing or makeup, “ suggest John E Wolf, Jr,M.D., professor and chairman of the dermatology department at Baylor College of Medicine in Waco, Texas. ‘’ When you wash your hands, don’t forget to reapply your sunscreen. If you see the beginnings of age spots or melasma, switch to a higher-SPF sunscreen.

Even people who are conscientious about using sunscreen often apply it too frugally. It takes an ounce or so to cover yourself adequately. Buy two tubes at a time, so you don’t run out or skimp.

Have dubious spots checked out. If you a brown spot does occur suddenly or an old one changes shape, becomes raised of bleeds, have a dermatologist look at it to be certain it’s not an early melanoma, or potentially fatal form of skin cancer.

Shampoo away brown patches. White–or brown-pigmented areas on your chest, neck or abdomen may not be sun spots at all: rather, they may be caused by a skin condition called tinea versicolor, (You’ll notice them more in the summer because they don’t tan.) Washing the area with a dandruff shampoo that contains selenium sulfide will kill disappear. Your physician can prescribe a stronger compound if needed.

Try an OTC bleaching cream. If you want to get rid of simple sun spots, the first step is over –the counter skin –bleaching creams that contains hydroquinone, says Dr. Wolf, Hydroquinone inteferes with your skin’s productions of melanin, so spots don’t re-form as your skin sloughs off old layers. These product can take several months or even years to show any improvement, however.(be sure to wear a sunscreen on top of the bleaching cream.)

“If you try one of the OTC bleaches,”says Dr. Wolf,” I recommend you give it a chance for a few several months. If you see absolutely no difference after using both a bleach and a sunscreen regularly, then you need to go to something stronger. “ Your dermatologist can prescribe a higher concentration of hydroquinone. This approach works better on light spot than darker areas. You should also be aware that bleaching agents., including hydroquinones, can causes undesirable white, opaque or dark spots on he skin.

Call in the big guns. Another option is the use of tretinoin, a vitamin A derivative often used either alone or in combination with hydroquinone to treat acne. Tretinoin-also known as retinoic acid and Retin-A- significantly lightens age spots by inhibiting the production of melanin. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that 20 out of 24 patients using tretinoin experienced significant lightening of age spots after ten month treatment. The spot didn’t return for at least six months after therapy was ended. The people using tretinoin experienced rash and scaliness, however. Some dermatologists have reservations about using this treatment long term, so discuss the pros and cons with your doctors.

Consider the chemical solution. Individual spots can be treated with trichloracetic acid, frequently used in chemical peels. “This might be the treatment of choice for some one who has just two or three little spot that aren’t too dark, “says Dr. Wolf. Another option is freezing the spots with liquid nitrogen. With both of these methods, however, it can be difficult to control the amount of color change that occurs, and the spots can be left too white.

Have then zapped. Lasers can destroy the pigmented cells, and the procedure is usually accomplished in one or two visits, depending on the number of spots treated and the darkness of the pigmentation. To treat one age spots the size of the end of a pencil eraser usually takes a few second, and the color goes away over the next two four weeks.

“The great thing about laser treatment for this problem is that in the hand of an expert, you don’t run the risk of having white spots where the dark spots had been, “says Dr. Lowe.” The only caveat is that as with any surgery, it’s only as good as the practitioner.“ (Check to make sure the physician is trained in lasers and belongs to the American society for laser and belongs to the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery.)