Age spots, also called sun spots and liver spots, are discolored areas of the skin that result from prolonged exposure to the sun. The sun speeds up the production of the pigment melanin, and the excess pigment clumps together, forming the flat brownish or black spots. The spots commonly appear in individuals over the age of 40, but can occur earlier as well. According to MayoClinic.com, the spots are harmless, but should be evaluated by a physician since they often have a similar appearance to cancerous growths.
Step 1
Select an over-the-counter skin lightening cream. Lightening creams fade sun spots to match the tone of the surrounding skin. MayoClinic.com recommends lightening creams that contain kojic acid, hydroquinone, glycolic acid or deoxyarbutin.
Step 2
Massage the lightening cream into the sun or age spot. Do not apply the cream to the surrounding skin. Wash your hands after the application. It may take several weeks to several months of daily application for the sun spot to fade.
Step 3
Apply sunscreen daily. Since the sun causes age spots, treatment will prove ineffective if you do not protect the skin from the sun, states the American Academy of Dermatology. Choose a sunscreen that offers protection from both UVA and UVB rays and has a SPF of 30 or higher.
Step 4
Make an appointment with a dermatologist. If the lightening cream does not prove effective at removing the age spot, a doctor can go over other options open to you. Dermabrasion, cryotherapy and laser therapy are techniques used to remove sun spots. During dermabrasion, a doctor sands down the top layers of the skin to promote new growth and reduce the appearance of sun spots. Cryotherapy involves the application of liquid nitrogen to the age spot to destroy the excess pigment through freezing. In laser therapy, a laser penetrates the surface of the skin to get rid of the pigment.
Things You'll Need
- Lightening cream
- Sunscreen
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