Why age spots appear and how to get rid of them

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The most effective means for sunbathers.

Dark spots that show through on the skin spoil the look and add years. The life hacker figured out where this attack comes from and how to return a healthy, even color to the face.

What are age spots

Hyperpigmentation is an uneven distribution of melanin pigment in the skin (in fact, it is he who gives the skin color). If you have freckles, you are familiar with this situation: genetically, your skin has clusters of Freckles: Remedies, Causes, and More cells, which produce more melanin than others.

But freckles look cute and have been present since childhood, that is, their owners have time to get used to their peculiarities. Pigmented spots are another matter entirely. They often appear suddenly, have a large uneven shape, and require dense tonal means to mask, which is not suitable for everyone.

The reason for the appearance of spots is a malfunction, as a result of which some of the skin cells begin to produce more melanin than before. Hyperpigmentation itself is not harmful What Causes Increased Skin Pigmentation? … But it is a symptom of some changes in the body. Which, in turn, can be both neutral in terms of health and quite dangerous.

What causes age spots

Failure in the work of skin cells most often occurs for the following reasons 5 possible causes of pigmentation problems.

1. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation

Ultraviolet light irritates melanocytes, the skin cells responsible for melanin production. Normally, this results in the appearance of an even tan. But if you stimulate cells with an active sun often and a lot, some of them "go crazy" and begin to produce melanin day and night in horse doses.

Pigmented spots are frequent companions of fans of tanning salons and tanning beds.

2. Injuries to the skin, including sunburn

Sunburn is actually a defense mechanism. With the help of melanin, our body protects itself from ultraviolet radiation, which is killing for it: this dark pigment creates a kind of barrier around skin cells that scatters dangerous UVB rays.

The areas where the skin is damaged, from the point of view of the body, need maximum protection. That is why melanocytes go into a mode of maximum activity, and damaged skin (it doesn't matter if you combed your knee or walked under the sun and now your nose is peeling) darkens much more vigorously than neighboring areas.

3. Hormonal changes

Melanin production is also regulated by hormones. Pregnancy, birth control pills, and certain endocrine disorders can alter hormonal levels. As a result, age spots appear.

4. Age

Over the years, the skin becomes thinner and melanocyte cells in some of its areas appear 5 possible causes of pigmentation problems almost at the surface. If in adolescence and youth the small doses of melanin produced by them were hidden under the layer of the skin and were invisible, then closer to old age they appear. This is how age spots appear.

5. Taking some medications

For example, tetracycline antibiotics, retinoids and chemotherapy drugs Hyperpigmentation.

6. Malfunctions of internal organs

The appearance of age spots is often a distress signal from the liver Alcohol-Related Liver Disease, gallbladder, kidneys What You Need to Know About End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESRD) and other organs of the gastrointestinal tract.

How to start treating age spots

What doctors do not recommend is self-medication. It is only justified if you know exactly where the stain came from. For example, if pigmentation appears at the site of the burn.

The right decision is to go to a dermatologist with your spots. He will examine your skin, ask about your lifestyle and medications, and look at your medical record to check for any underlying medical conditions. In some cases, you may be asked to have a biopsy to rule out the risk of developing melanoma.

Remember one thing: there is no point in treating age spots until you know the reasons for their appearance.

If pigmentation is associated with internal problems of the body, you first need to cure them. Otherwise, the spots will appear over and over again.

How to get rid of age spots

But, let's say, everything is fine with your “inner world”, and the spots appeared for generally harmless reasons. In this case, you can start fighting with them.

In fact, there are only two ways to get rid of age spots.

Make the skin denser, fuller

The goal is to enlarge the skin layer above the melanocytes by hiding the pigment. This can be achieved as follows:

1. Thoughtfully approach the choice of everyday cosmetics. You need products that provide powerful moisturizing and nourishing benefits.
2. Establish a drinking regimen so that the body in general and the skin in particular receive the required amount of fluid.

Remove age spots

This can be done in different ways: from simple (and, unfortunately, not that effective) home to professional. The life hacker has ranked the options in order of increasing efficiency.

Absolutely all methods injure the skin. Therefore, when dealing with age spots, it is important to avoid the sun or use a cream with SPF-50.

Otherwise, you will not win, but only aggravate the pigmentation.

Hence an important recommendation: it is best to start the fight against unaesthetic stains in the fall. Thus, injured skin is less likely to encounter direct sunlight.

1. Whitening creams and ointments

These products contain hydroquinone and retinoic acid - substances that provide the skin with easy exfoliation and accelerate cell regeneration. Do not buy these drugs yourself. Check with a dermatologist to avoid possible skin irritation.

2. Whitening masks

Similar cosmetics can be found in supermarkets and pharmacies. But many also use homemade masks made from available products.

The main secret of effectiveness: the mask must contain acid.

Below are a few recipes for such masks, which are highly praised in all kinds of forums.

Yeast mask with lemon

Dissolve 20 g of yeast with 1 tablespoon of warm milk. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply the mixture on face for 10 minutes, rinse thoroughly. Some people recommend applying a cold compress (gauze soaked in cold water) after the mask to soothe the skin.

Whitening mask with lemon and honey

Mix freshly squeezed lemon juice with honey in a 1: 1 ratio. Apply to a cleanly washed face, after 20 minutes rinse with warm water.

Whitening kefir mask

Curdled milk and unsweetened yogurt are also good options. Just apply kefir on the area with age spots for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with a couple of drops of lemon juice with water to remove greasy film from the skin.

3. Mesotherapy

This is the name given to subcutaneous injections with special whitening drugs. The same cream, but more effective. In one procedure, you can seriously lighten the age spot, however, it will take several sessions to completely get rid of it.

4. Microdermabrasion

Many people try to get rid of stains using scrubs. Microdermabrasion is basically the same scrub, but instrumental. With the help of a special attachment, the beautician "polishes" the skin, removing the top layer damaged by the pigment.

5. Chemical peels

The essence of the procedure is to apply a chemically active composition to the skin, most often based on some kind of acid: glycolic, lactic, tartaric, malic, and so on. This composition allows you to dissolve and remove the surface layer of the skin in which the pigment has settled. In addition, peels stimulate cell renewal. Such procedures can only be carried out by a professional cosmetologist!

6. Laser therapy

A laser beam with a certain wavelength selectively acts on cells stained with pigment, without injuring others. Under the action of a laser, melanin is destroyed. This method is considered one of the most effective: if the pigmentation area is not very large, you can do with one procedure.