Zap Age Spots and See Spot Run!

Zap Age Spots and See Spots Run!

So, you are over 20 and you have a few age spots that you would rather not have? There are simple and inexpensive ways to treat them. Unfortunately, skin discolorations do not discriminate on where they show up first. They can appear anywhere on your skin, if given the right conditions.

Areas that age spots seem to appear most often are the face, neck, and back of the hands. Your hands can give away your age very quickly if you aren�t conscious of taking good care of them too.

Make sure that any spots are really 'age spots'. If spots are elevated, change shape, bleed, or show up suddenly, they might be a dangerous cancerous legion called Melanoma. Melanoma is a potentially fatal form of skin cancer. These lesions should be checked out immediately by your Dermatologist.

You can get rid of or fade age spots but a lot depends on your commitment to it and choosing the right treatment.

According to leading Dermatologists, the major cause of most skin blemishes are directly related to sun exposure. If you expose your skin to the sun without protection, you�re setting yourself up for them. For that reason, a sunblock with an SPF 15+ is recommended daily.

Another moot point is that it's contradictory to try and treat age spots if you�re not willing to protect your skin when its exposed to the sun. You are only reversing the efforts you�ve made to fade them if you go out into the sun with unprotected skin.

Zap Age Spots � How to Get Rid of Them

Bleach - Bleach creams work well for some skin types. If you have fair skin, they are more likely to work better and faster for you because you naturally have lighter skin. Use products like Dr. Varon's Skin Bleaching System to help hide discolorations.

For people with medium to dark skin, a stronger product might be needed. On smaller spots, IN SMALL AMOUNTS, you can apply a bit of 10 Volume peroxide thats used in hair coloring as a bleaching agent, however 20 Volume is the lowest Volume peroxide you�ll find. You�ll need to find a separate bottle and mix up a diluted version.

To make 10 Volume, simply mix one part water to one part 20 Volume peroxide. Shake well before you apply it to your skin each time.

Use a cotton swab and dab a small amount to one blemish at a time. Apply the product once every 3 days for a week. If you have no reaction to the bleach, then adjust the frequency of application to your own tolerance for it.

Do not apply it to large areas of your body. If you develop an intolerance for it or have a reaction to it, stop using it immediately.

Fade Creams - Fade creams work by interfering with a body�s production of melanin. (Melanin is what makes your skin brown when you�re exposed to the sun.) The sun actually raises the melanin in your skin to the surface and that's what makes you look tan.
The ingredient in fade creams, called hydroquinone's, help suppress the melanin your skin allows to surface. These products work slowly though, so don�t expect overnight relief. Products like Esoterica Fade Cream and Dermablend Chromotone Fade Creme have been around for years and work over time if you apply them daily.
Of course there are prescriptive strength hydroquinone�s available. Some brand names are Eldoquin, Epiquin Micro, Lustra, and Melanex.
Try Renova or Retin-A - If you have more than a few stubborn spots, a stronger solution may be needed.
Prescription strength Renova or Retin A, (Tretinoin), was originally formulated to help prevent acne. Turns out that it also helps benefit aging skin by reducing wrinkles and skin discolorations. Retin A helps return skin to its normal state, which helps fade the spots.

Try Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) - Treatments TCA treatments are also called �chemical peels�. The acid is placed on the skin for a given amount of time, then neutralized. This �burns� the skin. First the skin reddens, then it turns brown and scabs over. Once the scab peels, new skin is exposed.

This process helps fade age spots very well. The down side is that treatments can be costly and recovery takes about a week.

*I just stumbled across TCA chemical peels, (Trichloroacetic Acid), that are now available online. I never thought I would see this day. These types of peels used to only be done in the Dermatologist office. You can buy the formula from a 25% - 50% solution. This is NOT your typical WalMart product! You must dilute the solution before you use it. The solutions remove fine lines and wrinkles, age spots, acne scars, freckles, tattoo's and also improves the appearance of your skin overall. It is suggested to start with the 25% first, before trying higher solution strengths. Now that's VERY cool!

Try Liquid Nitrogen - Liquid nitrogen is used more for freezing warts, but it can work for age spots too. Treatments work fairly well.

They cost is much less than TCA�s, but they can also work TOO well and sometimes leave a depigmented white spot instead.

Lasers - Lasers have come a long way baby and are only getting better. Resurfacing the skin has never been easier or more expensive. Unless you�ve got great insurance, lasers are a large expenditure. Expect to pay a LOT.

Don�t get laser treatments if you have melasma.

When I was pregnant with Lars, I had melasma. This is also referred to as 'the mask of pregnancy' but is not toxic. It is caused by the combination of elevated hormone levels and exposure to the sun when you�re pregnant. (Wish I had known this 20 years ago!)

Melasma can fade away in time, as mine did, but it can take a LONG time. I had laser surgery only once on my face.

It only made things worse! Because the mask of pregnancy covers such a large area, the little �zaps� I got left white spots where the skin had been dark. It actually looked worse after the treatment.

If you have melasma, don�t risk it. Use products like Dermablend Cover Creme to hide them. Or, try an alpha hydroxy acid product instead. They create a light peel and work well on large areas of skin discoloration. Use alpha hydroxy products that are tried and true like Neutrogena Healthy Skin or Neutrogena Advanced Solutions.

Another alternative is to use glycolic acids. These are usually a bit stronger than AHA's. You can find glycolic acid peels peels up to around 35%. You can also find lactic acid peels, (made from milk acids), in formula's up to 70%.

Of course, if acids are too strong for your skin, try fruit peels. They are less powerful but still do the trick!

My melasma has faded now after almost 20 years, but for a few years after laser treatments, I didn�t go anywhere without my a makeup foundation on.

Lotions That Target Age Spots

I have been using Olay Total Effects Moisturizing Vitamin Complex and Oil of Olay Definity for about 3 months and have noticed a nice improvement in my skin tone. The cost is around $25 for a 1.7 ounce bottle. This should last you around 6 months, because you only use small thin layers of it on your skin! That works out to around $4.20 a month which is cheap for how well it works!

Of course, I also like to use Strivectin SD about once a week too. You can purchase an 8 ounce tube of it for around $130. That may seem like a lot but a little goes a long way! This tube should last you about a year. That works out to around $10.30 a month. Not bad!

Whatever treatment you choose, be sure to keep sunblock on your skin everyday. Even the sun in the winter is extremely damaging, especially in higher elevations.

You can get rid of or fade age spots but a lot depends on your commitment to it and choosing the right treatment. Most treatments are relatively inexpensive so finding the one that�s right for you shouldn't cost a lot.

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To go to the next Anti Aging Formula page, here's the link: Remove Age Spots Naturally

To view the previous Anti Aging Formula page, here's the link: Anti Aging Formula � More Ways to Stop the Biological Clock