The game of tags: why age spots appear on the face

According to statistics, age spots are one of the main reasons for visiting a beautician. Perhaps if people knew in advance the causes of the appearance of age spots on the face, there would be fewer such appeals. Quite a lot in this matter depends on ourselves …

What are age spots

Age spots are dark areas of the skin. They can be lighter or darker, single or multiple, large or small. And all of them are the result of the accumulation of melanin pigment. Why is it starting to pile up?

Often uneven pigmentation is regarded as an age-related phenomenon. This is not entirely fair. Lovely freckles on children’s and young faces are also age spots.

The tendency to hyperpigmentation is usually associated with a phototype. Do you know your phototype?

  • At I-III phototype freckles are quite common. They arise in childhood and become the eternal companions of a person: they appear during the season of solar activity and disappear when the intensity of UV radiation decreases. The bad news is that, over time, freckles can grow in both size and number and become “senior class,” becoming persistent pigment spots on the skin – age-related lentigo.

  • In phototype IV-VI freckles are rare, but there is a tendency to age-related dark pigment spots, as well as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Types of age spots on the face

The classification of age spots is based on parameters such as color, size, shape, and durability.

Freckles (ephelids)

Everyone knows what freckles look like: round, small (1-2 mm), the color varies from yellow to red, they appear and darken in the sun, they are often seasonal.

Lentigo (solar lentigo)

What do these age spots look like and how can they be distinguished from freckles? They are larger, oval, 2-20 mm in diameter. They are located where the skin is more exposed to UV rays:

  • face;

  • Hands;

  • décolleté zone.

The pigmentation is homogeneous, but it is resistant and does not go away on its own. Lentigo are also referred to as “senile” spots and are often localized where freckles were in younger years.

Melasma (chloasma)

Large brown shapeless pigment spots appear on the face (forehead, cheekbones, temples) and “multiply” under the influence of UV. Often occur against the background of hormonal changes. If they arose against the background of pregnancy, lactation, then most likely they will disappear when the hormonal background returns to normal.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation

Residual pigmentation at the site of the inflammatory process. For example, post-acne spots. Also, darkening may appear after cosmetic procedures that have violated the integrity of the skin, if you do not follow the recommendations for care and protection from the sun after the procedure.

Causes of the appearance of age spots on the face

Why do some people get pigment spots on their face, while others do not? Because we react differently to the same external and internal causes.

Go through an individual anti-aging skin diagnosis based on artificial intelligence and choose the right care!

solar radiation

The main provocateur of the formation of age spots is the sun. And even with a genetic predisposition or hormonal failure, it is ultraviolet that will become a trigger, acting as an aggressor, forcing cells to defend themselves and intensively produce pigment – it goes exactly to the places of damage.

Ultraviolet causes hyperpigmentation

Unfortunately, photodamage tends to accumulate, and eventually there comes a critical moment when melanin is deposited unevenly on the skin. Quite naturally, pigmentation is characteristic of areas that have been more and more exposed to insolation during life: the nose, cheekbones, forehead – that is, the most “outstanding” parts of the face. As well as arms, décolleté, neck…

Bad ecology

Environmental pollution: smog, dust, polluted air provoke oxidative stress that damages the skin at the cellular level. The result – the skin barrier weakens and the recovery processes in the cells are already going according to a different scenario.

Genetics

According to Brazilian dermatologists, more than 40% of patients suffering from melasma have a family history of this problem.

With a hereditary tendency to hyperpigmentation, it is necessary to protect the skin from the active sun from an early age with sunscreens with a high SPF.

You can choose the best sunscreen for sun protection in the city with the help of our test.

Hormonal background

Pigmentation often accompanies pregnancy and lactation. When the body returns to normal, age spots usually disappear.

Inflammation

Pigmentation often appears at the site of the inflammatory process: in areas of scars and wounds, after acne with deep inflammatory elements, due to self-treatment of acne and self-removal (squeezing) of pimples.

Cosmetic procedures

Hyperpigmentation can be a consequence of cosmetic procedures.

Health

Hyperpigmentation can signal problems with the digestive organs, gynecology, and the endocrine system. In such cases, combined measures will be required: cosmetology plus treatment of the underlying disease.

Who to contact and how to fight

It is quite difficult to “remove” persistent age spots (whatever the reasons) without the participation of a qualified specialist. This process is not easy, requiring a responsible attitude to the skin, since many effective cosmetic methods are quite aggressive in themselves and imply strict adherence to the care rules prescribed by the specialist.

Phototherapy – an effective hardware procedure against age spots

The strategy for combating hyperpigmentation includes home care and a course of procedures.

Cosmetics

Anti-pigmentation cosmetics are mainly aimed at exfoliating the surface layer of the epidermis, renewing the skin, smoothing its tone with the help of acids, vitamin C, and retinol. We will give specific examples.

Cosmetology

To summarize, there are two main methods of dealing with facial skin pigmentation: locally destroy the “islands” of melanin or exfoliate the skin and renew it.

  • Phototherapy

    The pigment is destroyed under the influence of pulsed light, which is directed selectively – only to the accumulation of melanocytes. Read.

  • Selective laser

    A laser with an ultrashort pulse, like a sniper, finds cells with a high content of melanin and destroys it.

  • Laser resurfacing

    The upper layers of the epidermis are removed, triggering a regenerative reaction of the skin and its renewal. Details here.

  • Chemical peeling

    A course of peels with glycolic acid in combination with TCA, as well as retinol peeling, is effective.

Prevention of hyperpigmentation

So far, no better prevention has been devised than UV protection. To summarize and not go into details, we can say that age spots are the “children” of the sun. German dermatologists note that with a tendency to hyperpigmentation, it is very important to minimize the influence of both natural and artificial ultraviolet radiation, and compensate for a possible vitamin D deficiency by taking an appropriate supplement.

So, if you have a reason to be wary of hyperpigmentation, use sunscreen every day, even when it’s cloudy. Neither clouds nor window panes protect against UVA rays that cause photoaging.

Choose products with broad spectrum filters, antioxidants and textures that suit your skin type. Healthy Food recommends:

Face cream Ambre Solaire “Expert Protection”, SPF 50+, Garnier

Suitable for sensitive skin, contains glycerin for a moisturizing effect.

Brightening UV Defense Lightweight Sunscreen, SPF 30, SkinCeuticals

Contains a special complex to prevent the appearance of solar hyperpigmentation.

Sunscreen tinting fluid for the face and skin around the eyes Anthelios SPF 50+, La Roche-Posay

A lightweight, high-protection complexion-evening treatment with Intelimer Technology for even coverage. More details in this article.

Fighting pigmentation at home

Home skin care includes creams and serums, the action of which is aimed at correcting pigmentation and skin renewal.

Cream for skin with hyperpigmentation Advanced Pigment Corrector, SkinCeuticals

Contains a complex of multidirectional acids, which not only promotes skin renewal, but also helps to correct hyperpigmentation. Can be applied locally.

Peeling serum “Revitalift Laser x3” in ampoules, L’Oréal Paris

Renews skin cells due to the content of 10% glycolic acid in the composition and thus fights against age spots on the face.

Peeling serum night action in ampoules LiftActiv Specialist Glyco-C, Vichy

Glycolic acid, citric acid, vitamin C – this trinity actively fights age spots, promotes skin renewal and gives radiance.

Cream serum for skin radiance Re-Plasty Laserist, Helena Rubinstein

A tool for instant radiance of the skin and the fight against age spots on a daily basis.

Antioxidant serum for skin renewal Vitamin C10 Serum, La Roche-Posay

Gives radiance, evens out the surface and tone of the skin, promotes its renewal due to the content of salicylic acid in the composition, and vitamin C, as a powerful antioxidant, protects epidermal cells from the influence of external negative factors. Learn more about vitamin C serums here.

Leave a Reply