Folk & Herbal Remedies For Age Spots

Age spots, otherwise known as liver spots, are a common skin disorder in people over age 40. The affected areas appear as oval, flat spots with brown or black pigmentation. They are usually harmless and commonly occur from overexposure to sunlight. Although there is little scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of folk and herbal treatments on the disorder, once your condition has been given the all-clear by your dermatologist, you may want to try natural home remedies to fade or bleach your age spots.

Lemons

Lemon juice acts as a natural antiseptic, offering valuable benefits when used on any number of skin conditions. The citric acid contained in the juice of freshly squeezed lemons can provide bleaching properties helpful in fading age spots. Dr. Audrey Kunin points out in "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies, "It won't happen overnight, though. You'll notice a difference in 6 to 12 weeks."
Mix equal parts lemon juice and water. Saturate a cotton swab with the liquid and apply it to your affected areas. Allow the juice to dry for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing with warm water. Repeat three times daily. While few contraindications exist for lemon juice use, it can cause peeling with overuse.

Gotu Kola

Gotu kola, an herb with a long history as a folk remedy for the treatment of all types of skin conditions, contains saponins, agents that accelerate wound healing. French studies performed in the 1980s showed that external application of gotu kola can support healing of infected wounds and burns, according to the University of Michigan Health System. While further research is needed to confirm gotu kola's healing potency, Colorado-based herbalist Brigitte Mars notes that anecdotal evidence coupled with scientific indicators suggest that gotu kola may help improve age spots by bolstering the production of collagen, the main protein of connective tissue, and by increasing new skin growth.
No known side effects exist with the oral or topical use of gotu kola. You can take 60 mg of the herb daily. Alternatively, you can prepare gotu kola tea by steeping 1 tsp. gotu kola leaves in two cups boiling water for 10 minutes. Saturate a washcloth in the tea, and apply it on your affected areas as a hot compress for 15 minutes twice daily.

Castor Oil

Although GrannyMed.com points out that castor oil has no scientific evidence to back up folk claims of its efficacy, the oil's long history as a remedy for skin disorders dates back to the ancient Egyptians. Its anti-inflammatory properties, coupled with its acid content, may fade age spots over time.
Massage castor directly into your affected areas two times a day. HomeRemediesWeb.com claims that the oil can fade age spots within a month, but there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. (See Reference 4) While castor oil has a good safety record, keep it away from your eyes, and do not ingest it.