Why do I have Age Spots?
What are they and are there any Age Spots creams to help?
Age spots or sun spots can be a real concern, especially as we get older. Liver spots are the most obvious indication of melanin overproduction on your skin (also known as hyper-pigmentation). A little sun is great for getting some vitamin D. but you should get out before you get even a little pink.
While we all feel that a suntan is healthy, but the truth is even a little bit of color is a sign of injury to the epidermis. By the time you look tanned, damage has already been done. The more sun exposure, the more likely you'll have an increasing number of dark spots showing up as you get older.
The good news is there is something you can do to get rid of age spots on your face and all over!
Reduce The Signs of Skin Aging
By nourishing your skin with the antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and other essential nutrients it needs, you can begin to rejuvenate the delicate balance and tone to reduce hyper pigmentation and to help get rid of dark spots.
You can renew a more youthful appearance by using organic skin care for your face and entire body. Eating and using organic products is a great way aid in your body's natural ability to heal itself and reduce inflammation to calm the signs of aging.
Often just eliminating the toxic chemicals in your everyday can reduce hyper-pigmentation and sun spots and uplevel your overall health!
Causes of Age Spots...
The hardest part is truly getting an answer as to why they appear. So many just lump the idea of this hyper-pigmentation (fancy word for dark colored skin) into an automatic sign of aging without asking what is truly causing it.
These spots are also called liver spots due to the direct correlation of a overly burdened liver. So there's is a good chance if you are getting these spots on your hands, face or anywhere else on your body, you're probably overworking your liver.
- They may be called 'age spots' but they can start as young as in your 20's if you aren't taking good care of your liver. Trust me -- they showed up on my hands in my 20's when I started taking birth control. I wasn't aware that the pill can be hard on your liver but it truly can be.)
While the liver is a very important part of developing hyper-pigmentation, there are a few other factors that can come into play:
- Age: As I mentioned above, the older we get, the easier it is for these to develop.
- Sun Exposure: Spending a great deal of time in the sun will make you more susceptible. Our bodies created melanin to protect us from getting sun burn in the first place, and more sun means more melanin and a greater chance of these brown spots developing.
- Hormones: When we go through major hormonal changes in life, it can cause an increase in pigmentation of our skin. As if the hormonal changes that occur with pregnancy and menopause weren't enough to drive a sane woman crazy, when they shift there can be a huge increase in the amount of localized pigment to certain areas. (FYI - the large spots that happen during pregnancy are actually called a 'pregnancy mask' or Melasma.)
- Genetics: Yep, if you're mother or aunt or even your cousins got this easily it's more of a predictor that you are more susceptible to getting them.
In reading this list, just know that it could be one or a combination of any of the above that could cause this change in your skin.
(In case you aren't sure if you're are health related, here's a bit of info from the Mayo Clinic on what they call 'liver spots', a.k.a. age spots)
Different Ways to Treat Them...
There are two very different ideas on treating these pesky spots: Externally & Internally
Let's start with the way that western medicine and the beauty industry wants us to...externally.
If
we look at these bits of extra pigment in our skin as something that is
just an annoyance, then we can say that a bit of topical creams or even
something more drastic like chemical peels and lasers are the way to
'remove' the problem at hand. Basically nothing a bit of extra aggressive exfoliation won't cure.
(Don't
get me wrong, I went the route of having a few peels to remove huge
brown spots from my forehead, cheeks and, yes, mustache areas. They
worked wonders until I went back in the sun and they came back. I was
forever wearing sunblock and hiding from the sun to keep my pearly white
complexion when I went this route.)
As you can see from the story above, this is quite an effective route for an easy, temporary fix which might be what you need at the moment. (If you do, I don't judge because I've been there.) If so, you may want to try one of the many spot lightening creams out there. I just have to warn you that if you have sensitive skin they probably aren't for you. Often they can be rather drying and quite irritating.
Simple Age Spot Removal home Remedy...
If you'd like to start with something a bit more natural, we can't blame you. Here's a simple treatment you can start with that you probably already have the ingredients in your cupboard.
- Mix a few teaspoons of baking soda with water into a fine paste.
Apply it to non-sensitive areas with dark spots, gently rubbing in a circular motion.
For faster results, take a small amount of the mixture and place it on the spot and leave it for 30 minutes to overnight.
(*Be careful if you have sensitive skin as this is quite drying and can easily irritate your skin.*) - Super Power It:
To make this even stronger you can substitute some or all of the water
with freshly squeezed Lemon Juice but just remember this will make it stronger and easier to irritate the skin.
- Repeat this process a 2 times per week, making sure to properly moisturize after
Though for many this may seem like a chore and just more work
than you've got time for. If you're looking for a few different
non-toxic age spots options, then we've pulled together a few different
ways to go below. Just know you can attack this problem any and
everywhere in your face regime from cleansing, to exfoliating, to serums
or even creams.
- Start with
JUST ONE! These products are meant to exfoliate at a faster rate and one
product often will make a big difference.
- Have patience and give it a bit of time: make sure to use any
new products for 2 full weeks before adding any others to your regime.
This way you'll know which one is working and which one isn't. It's also
important in case you end up red or irritated from putting too much on
your skin.
- Every face is different: Don't be afraid to try different products if one
doesn't work for you. There are a ton on the market that work great,
just make sure you keep an eye on the ingredients label. You don't have
to go toxic to remove age spots.
simple-to-use, non toxic lighteners
Here are just a few products to choose from that are made in a healthy way that are specifically made to reduce the appearance of hyper-pigmentation.
Face wash for age spots
Here's a face wash that has added vitamin C in it which will both plump up the skin as well as decrease age spots. (Vitamin C is ascorbic acid - acid being the key part of how it naturally helps to reduce and eventually remove age spots.)
lightening serums
If you prefer to use a serum then hyaluronic acid is probably the way to go. It, too, will also help with anti-aging and plumping up the skin to make it look healthier. This is a serum that combines both vitamin C & hyaluronic acid to increase the efficacy of removing age spots.
Exfoliating dark spots
If you're looking to exfoliate your skin faster in hopes of removing the age spots, here's one that contains the healing properties of manuka honey as well as uses walnut shell husks to both exfoliate and heal your skin.
How can I heal from the inside out?
If you're intrigued with the true cause of what's going on in your body that caused this, then the internal approach is the way to go. You can start by taking a look at yourself in a more holistic picture.
- What else is going on?
- Is your hair thinning?
- Does your skin look dull and tired?
- Do you have a lack of energy?
If you've answered yes to more than one of these options then you might want to try one of the many solutions out there to cleanse not only your liver but also the other major organs of your body.
You can start with something simple like adding raw vegetable or goji juice and dandelion root to your diet.
Greens powder for detox
If the idea of making green juice everyday or even 3-4 times a week makes you want to reach through the screen and throttle me, no worries. I get it. There just isn't enough time in the day to do that and take care of everything else. That's why we're including a greens powder that's as as simple as adding to a smoothie or a glass of water.
**Just make sure that whatever you're taking is organic otherwise you could be adding more toxins and adding more of a burden to your liver.
Dandelion liver cleanse tea
If you can remember an incident where you drank too much or took a medication, during or after pregnancy or anything else that would point to your liver needing a cleanse, then dandelion tea is a fantastic idea. It is known for having very cleansing properties to it and it's no harder than drinking a cup a day.
Goji juice for detoxing your liver
Yes, it might seem random to suggest goji juice for a liver detox but it is amazing at doing this. I actually used it pre-pregnancy before and during both of them. The best part was the age spots that had formed on my hands in the years prior quickly faded away when I started drinking 1-2 ounces every morning.
To learn more about anti-aging skin care, click the link below to get our special report:
"Seven Simple Secrets to Younger Looking Skin".