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Many people have age spots on the face, but this problem is especially acute for women. Such a cosmetic defect not only spoils the appearance, but also causes psychological discomfort. It is not surprising that most women think about how to remove age spots on their faces, but in order for this process to be as effective as possible, you must first find out the cause of their appearance.
Causes of the appearance of age spots on the face
The causes of the appearance of age spots on the face are diverse, among them:
The period of gestation. The appearance of spots in this case is caused by hormonal failure. After childbirth, they often go away on their own, but in some cases they persist for a long time;
Lack of intake of folic acid in the body. As a result, disturbances occur in the functioning of the human circulatory and immune systems;
Negative effect on the skin of ultraviolet rays. It is especially dangerous to be in the sun during its maximum activity, which is observed in the summer and spring months;
Some components of cosmetics, perfumes, personal hygiene items, especially if the cosmetics are of poor quality, can lead to increased skin pigmentation;
Taking certain medications. Of particular danger in this regard are antibacterial agents and hormones;
Excessive exposure to the sun, passion for tanning;
Age. The older a person becomes, the more age spots appear. Moreover, they occur in open areas of the body (on the face, on the hands, in the décolleté area). Such spots are often called senile ripples.
Cosmetic procedures to remove pigmentation
Having determined the cause of the appearance of age spots on the face, you can draw up an individual plan to deal with them. In some cases, it will be enough to use whitening creams, compresses, decoctions, and sometimes more drastic measures are required. It can be a chemical peel, dermabrasion and other salon procedures.
Phototherapy
Phototherapy is a modern method of removing age spots. The effect can be felt after the first procedure. During the session, the spot is affected by flashes. As a result, melanin is destroyed, pigmentation becomes less noticeable or disappears altogether.
Advantages of the method of phototherapy in getting rid of pigmentation:
atraumatic procedure. The skin remains intact, which reduces the risk of infection to zero. After a phototherapy session, there are no scars and scars;
Absence of pain. You may experience a slight tingling of the skin of the face during the session;
Accelerated recovery period;
pronounced effect.
Like any other procedure, phototherapy has a number of contraindications, including:
Skin hypersensitivity;
Herpetic eruptions in the treatment area;
Skin inflammation;
Diabetes;
Blood clotting disorders;
Scars on the skin.
Chemical peeling
Chemical peeling involves the application of special substances to the skin that actively exfoliate old cells and thereby whiten age spots.
There are several types of peeling:
Surface. In this case, the upper layers of the skin are exposed. You can carry out the procedure for a year from 4 to 10 times. It is important that the interval between cleansing sessions is at least 10 days;
Medium peeling, aimed at cleansing the deeper layers of the epidermis. This peeling can be done once every 30 days;
Deep peeling, affects the deep layers of the epidermis. This type of peeling can be performed no more than once every 1 months.
Features of the procedure and its consequences:
During a cleansing session, you may experience a burning sensation. It can be kept up to 24 hours;
Hyperemia of the skin is a natural reaction of the skin. Redness may persist for up to 24 hours. If deep peeling was carried out, then hyperemia can remain for another 14 days;
There may be blisters on the skin, or scarring. This happens with deep cleansing, or with insufficient qualifications of the master, who did not follow the technique of the procedure.
Removal with a laser
Laser removal of age spots is the most gentle and safe of all modern salon methods available. The cosmetologist has the opportunity to act only on a limited area of the skin, independently choosing the place of treatment. Healthy skin does not suffer. The skin on the treated area begins to peel off, and after two weeks the stain disappears.
Benefits of laser therapy:
High efficiency of the procedure;
Absence of pain;
Security;
1-2 sessions are enough to remove pigmentation.
Laser whitening should be abandoned to women during childbearing.
You can not carry out the procedure during lactation, as well as under the following conditions of the body:
Cancer diseases;
Fresh tan in the treatment area;
The presence of inflammation on the skin.
Cosmetical tools
The choice of cosmetics to eliminate age spots is very wide. These are various creams, serums, masks, peels, lotions. They are designed for different skin types, contribute to its whitening and exfoliation.
Among the most popular means are:
Achromin is a whitening cream that protects the skin from the negative effects of sunlight. This allows not only to get rid of pigmentation, but also to prevent the reappearance of spots;
Clotrimazole is an ointment that is aimed at eliminating a wide variety of skin problems, including eliminating pigmentation;
Badyaga – this cream contains silica, which has a pronounced exfoliating effect, which means it allows you to whiten the skin;
Vichy cream – allows you to effectively and quickly get rid of age spots, even the darkest ones. It is recommended to use it for freckles and senile ripples;
Cosmetic white clay has a whitening effect. To enhance it, you can add lemon juice to the product.
How to get rid of age spots on the face at home?
We bring to your attention several natural remedies for the treatment of age spots on the face and body. Some recipes may seem unusual and not very credible, but their effectiveness has been confirmed by international scientific studies.
If you are already tired of looking for an answer to the question of how to get rid of age spots on your face at home, take these methods into service. They are safe, inexpensive and easy to do at home.
Apple vinegar
Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid, which has been shown in tests to [1], can reduce or even neutralize hyperpigmentation on the skin.
To use this tool:
mix apple cider vinegar and water in a small bowl;
apply the solution to dark spots with a cotton swab and leave for two to three minutes;
wash your face or other treated area of the body with warm water;
repeat the procedure twice a day until you achieve the desired results.
Aloe vera
Aloe vera contains aloin, a natural substance with mild depigmenting properties. Aloe vera was proven to be effective in treating age spots in a scientific study conducted in 2012. [2]. To quickly get rid of annoying imperfections, it is better to take not raw leaves of a houseplant, but concentrated aloe vera gel, which can be purchased at a pharmacy.
It’s very simple to use:
apply the composition to the pigmented areas before going to bed and lie down to rest;
wash off the gel with warm water in the morning, the skin will become soft and smooth;
repeat daily until all hyperpigmentation disappears.
Red onion
Red onion extract is a popular ingredient in beauty and treatment creams for skin lightening and scar removal. An international study showed [3]that dried red onion peel allows you to quickly get rid of age spots on the face and body.
In order not to look for anti-hyperpigmentation creams and masks containing red onion extract, make your own bleaching agent:
grate a red sweet onion on a fine grater;
squeeze the juice through cheesecloth;
apply it to the problem area with a cotton swab;
hold for 15 minutes and rinse with water;
do this simple procedure every day until the age spots disappear.
You can also prepare a decoction of red onion husks:
pour a glass of husk with the same volume of water, boil and boil for 10 minutes;
leave under a closed lid to infuse for 2 hours;
strain the broth and pour into a jar, store in the refrigerator;
Apply the product to age spots daily until they fade.
Green tea extract
One of the recent studies on the health benefits of green tea [4] shows that its extract has a pronounced whitening effect. You can try to buy a ready-made extract in a pharmacy or online store, but there is an easier way. Use ordinary tea bags, but keep in mind that the product must be of excellent quality and absolutely pure, without aromatic additives.
If you want to try green tea to remove age spots, follow these steps:
brew a bag with boiling water for three to five minutes;
take it out of the cup and put it on a saucer so that it cools down without burning your skin;
apply the sachet on the pigmented area and hold for 15-20 minutes;
repeat such applications twice a day until you are satisfied with the result.
Black tea infusion
Animal study conducted in 2011[5]showed that a strong infusion of regular black tea lightened dark spots on the body of guinea pigs. Scientists used this remedy twice a day for four weeks, and the results were impressive.
Try to get rid of age spots with this product, because it is in every home:
brew a tablespoon of good loose leaf black tea in a cup of boiling water;
insist tea for two hours, then strain to remove tea leaves;
dip a cotton swab into the infusion and apply to the stain for 10-15 minutes;
carry out this procedure every day until you get the desired effect.
Licorice extract
Licorice extract contains biologically active substances, which, as research shows [6], effectively remove melasma and any hyperpigmentation caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Many sunscreens and medicated sunburn ointments contain licorice extract. Try using them to remove age spots from your face or body.
Milk
Both milk itself and fermented milk products (kefir, sour cream, fermented baked milk, curdled milk) effectively lighten the skin. It has been proven by scientific research [7]. Lactic acid, which is found in the highest concentration in whole milk, leads to a positive result.
Using this method of treating age spots at home is very simple:
Soak a cotton swab in warm milk;
Rub milk into problem areas of the skin twice a day until the desired effect is obtained.
Tomato paste
Scientific research results [8], published in the British Journal of Dermatology in 2011, show that tomato paste, rich in lycopene, protects the skin well from both short-term and regular negative exposure to sunlight.
Participants in the control group consumed 55 grams of tomato paste with olive oil daily for 12 weeks. If you suffer from skin hyperpigmentation precisely because of an excess of ultraviolet radiation, be sure to eat fresh tomatoes and use tomato paste more often when cooking.
Orchid extract
Orchid extract is comparable in effectiveness to vitamin C when it comes to removing age spots on the face or body. This is confirmed by the results of a scientific study. [9].
Red lentils
Natural whitening face masks based on red lentils are very popular, especially in the East. There is no scientific evidence for the effectiveness of these products, but it is known that lentils are rich in antioxidants, and they are very beneficial for the skin.
Making a mask for age spots at home is easy:
Soak 50g washed red lentils in cold water overnight;
In the morning, grind the product with a food processor or blender to a smooth paste;
Apply the resulting composition to the pigmented area and leave for 20 minutes;
Rinse off the paste with cool water and pat your skin dry with a clean towel;
Do lentil masks 2-3 times a week until the result is achieved.
We hope these recommendations will help you get rid of age spots on your face or body as soon as possible. Take care of yourself and be healthy!