Ten Ways to Prevent Age Spots

As more and more people are concerned with the effects of aging, more people will be wondering how to prevent age spots. Perhaps the most important thing to realize if you are one of these people is how age spots form. Quite simply, age spots are pockets of melanin that form under the skin generally as a result of too much sun exposure. They are harmless, but many people think that they look unattractive. To this end, it is best to prevent or remedy these age spots. Here are ten things you can do about them.

1. Avoid sun exposure. This is a given if you want to avoid age spots. Since the sun plays a huge role in creating these age spots, you need to avoid exposure as much as possible in order to avoid the creation of said spots.
2. Use Sunscreen. Since no one can avoid the sun all of the time, especially if you work outdoors or spend a lot of your time outside, you need to use a good sunscreen to protect your skin. If you already have some age spots, you can help stop them from getting darker by using sunscreen.
3. Lemon Juice. All natural and easy to obtain, lemon juice can help you fade your age spots. This is a great treatment for any spots anywhere on the body. Simply apply some with a cotton swab twice a day and in a couple months you will start to see these age spots fade.
4. Commercial products. Thankfully for us, there are plenty of commercial products on the market today that can help you reduce the size and darkness of age spots. Make sure that you use any product you choose as it is directed, and keep an eye out for irritation that it might cause.
5. All natural products. If you are one of the few who cannot use commercial products because of skin irritation, then consider natural products from local vendors or nature food stores. These products contain fewer ingredients and are natural so there is much less chance of any reaction even from those who have sensitive skin.
6. Alpha Hydroxy. AHA, or alpha hydroxy acid can help reduce the appearance of skin spots as it gets rid of old and darker skin cells. Over time, cells the same color as the rest of your skin will replace these cells, causing age spots to disappear.
7. Chemical Peels. When you have too many spots to really deal with individually, there are other options. One option, obtained by speaking with a doctor, is a chemical peel. This peel is applied to the skin, and when removed it takes off the top layer of skin where the problem areas are located. Be sure to look at the drawbacks of this procedure before you decide on it.
8. Slower Peels. Another, less intense option for those who would like a peel is known as a slow peel. This is a type of cream that is just placed on the spots themselves, and within a few days the skin on the area begins to peel. This will help get rid of the spots without as much discomfort as a chemical peel can cause.
9. Beaching. There are many over the counter options for those who want to get rid of age spots. Skin bleaching will help lighten the spots, and over time, the spots can totally disappear. Always be sure to follow the directions when you are attempting to use these products.
10. See a doctor. For the stubborn spots that simply refuse to go away, you can always speak to a doctor. There are professional options available to medical professionals such as freezing the area of skin or using lasers to lighten or fade the spots entirely.

As you can see, age spots are not something that you have to deal with forever. There are plenty of options available to you that can help you reduce the size, darkness or even get rid of these spots totally. Be sure to weigh your options first, no matter which one you end up choosing.