Skin Care and Aging – Age Spots
Excessive sun exposure causes brown patches and age spots on your skin. These dark spots are usually known as age spots, liver spots or sun spots. Age spots, medically named solar lentigo, are accompanied by tapering of skin, dehydration and wrinkling. A pigment in our skin known as melanin protects our skin from hazardous UV rays but as we get older our skin is unable to protect it as these pigments start loosening and thinning up.
They appear due to weakening in skin‘s ability to protect itself from harmful UV rays causes age spots. Areas which are more exposed to sun, such as face, hands, arms, and feet are more likely to have age spots. By regular use of sunscreen and reduction in exposure to sun, age spots can be prevented.
When people start aging, their skin becomes very sensitive and it starts getting thin and more defenseless, connective tissues become weak – this makes skin more prone to injury and causes bruising and spots in old people. Other causes of age spots are illness or strong medications, in this case consulting a doctor is your best option. One should never assume a pigmented lesion as benign on your skin – whenever you observe color changes or spots on your skin always get it checked by a dermatologist because it may be the start of skin cancer. Chemical peels, bleaching creams and fraxel laser are some of the common age spot treatments.
Recommendations:
Drink Water
Drink at least 8-9 glass of water throughout the day. This keeps your skin fresh, glowing, healthy and hydrated, by detoxifying it.
Sunscreen Protection
Use sunscreen everyday. Make it your habit to use it, try using moisturizers and lotions with SPF 15. The strength of a sunscreen ranges from 2-30, the highest factor or SPF gives longer protection. Sun protection and avoidance is a must to protect your skin.
Less Sun Exposure
Try to avoid exposing yourself in the sun between 10am -3pm as the strength of UV rays is strongest at that time.
Use an Umbrella and Avoid Tanning
Tanning can get your skin over exposed to sun and to harmful chemicals , thus damaging your skin and may cause skin cancer so make it a habit to use an umbrella or hat and try to protect your skin from age spots and dangerous UV rays as much as possible.
