How to Get Rid of Age Spots on Your Face

Age spots are a natural occurrence that everyone can expect to see as they grow older, especially if they spend a lot of time outdoors. Although age spots don't pose any threat to one's health, their appearance is often unwanted and dealing with them can cause a fair amount of stress. While age spots were once something that people simply had to deal with, modern medicine and dermatology has effective treatment options to offer to those who'd prefer to get rid of their age spots. Some of these treatments are quite invasive, while others are completely organic and holistic. Here are some of the most common ways to minimize the impact of age spots on one's appearance:

1. Micro Skin Abrasion

This is a dermatological treatment that involves applying an abrasive oxide compound to the skin at high pressure. Also known as micro dermabrasion, this technique peels away the skin's uppermost layers, taking pigmented and damaged age spot areas with it. Micro dermabrasion is not as painful as it sounds; a specially-designed nozzle is used to apply the abrasive compound gently and precisely. Good follow-up care after dermabrasion encourages rapid healing as the body creates new, healthy skin to replace the small amount of tissue that's removed.

2. Surgical Lasers

While the age group that shows the most frequent occurrence of age spots is above forty years old, younger men and women can see them appear too, especially if they are exposed to bright sunlight for extended periods of time. Using laser surgery to eliminate age spots is the most effective way to get rid of them with minimal risk and discomfort to the patient. Surgical lasers use tiny pulses of light focused with extreme precision in order to eliminate age spots without causing any damage to the skin around them. Although laser surgery is fast and very effective, it's also usually quite expensive, leading many people to prefer alternative age spot treatments.

3. Chemical Peels

It's the ultraviolet component of natural sunlight that's usually responsible for the formation of age spots. Fortunately, skin that's suffered from UV damage is chemically distinct from healthy skin. This means that the application of the proper chemicals can be targeted expressly at age spots, breaking up darker bits of pigmentation and evening out the overall complexion. Chemical peels can be somewhat risky; it's important that they are administered by experienced professionals and used for no longer than is recommended.

4. Skin Bleaching

Creams that lighten and even out the tone of the skin can be effective for some people dealing with age spots. These treatments are generally more effective for individuals with light-colored skin. Those who have darker complexions can try skin bleaches that use hydroquinone as an active ingredient, but care has to be taken to avoid irritating the skin.

For some people, age spots are simply too much of an embarrassment to be left untreated. Fortunately, anyone who feels this way has a fair array of effective treatment options to choose from.