Sun damage to your skin, or photoaging, begins as early as childhood and becomes more apparent in your 40s as discolorations appear and the skin's suppleness decreases, causing lines and wrinkles. The appearance of "age spots" or "liver spots" can be upsetting. The spots from sun damage, called solar lentigines, are usually harmless, the American Academy of Dermatology reports.
Significance
if you notice an increase in fine lines, wrinkles and age spots, you may experience discomfort and self-consciousness about your appearance. The most effective skin care strategies for improving the appearance of sun-damaged skin involve preventing further damage, as well as exfoliating and using commercial or natural skin bleaching agents to lighten solar litigines on exposed skin, particularly the face, chest and backs of the hands.
Definition
Sun damage to the skin causes uneven pigmentation called age spots or liver spots. It contributes to wrinkles and can lead to skin cancer. Sun exposure may lead to broken capillaries, the red blood vessels that show on the face. Skin care to correct sun damage aims remove the most visibly damaged surface areas of the skin to expose fresh skin or to lighten uneven pigmentation with topical treatments.
Types
Your skin care options for correcting sun damage include homemade treatments, over-the-counter creams and prescription topical products containing stronger concentrations of alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA), retinoic acid or topical vitamin C. Most topical treatments help to correct sun damage by exfoliation. They contain acids, such as citric acid derived from fruit or lactic acid from milk, to remove the surface skin layers. Rub fresh lemon juice directly on liver spots, Alexa Fleckenstein, M.D., suggests in her book "Own Your Health: Healthy to 100." Lemon has natural bleaching properties; it's also used to fade freckles.
Considerations
Exfoliating skin and lightening uneven pigmentation with natural ingredients involves using lemon juice or a fruit and yogurt mask to fade age spots at home. This method requires patience, as it requires numerous applications to lighten solar litigines. Over-the-counter AHA creams offer a stronger method for sloughing off skin. Retinoic acid improves skin texture, reduces pigmentation and increases collagen. As of 2010, it's the only medication approved by the FDA for treating sun damage.
Prevention/Solution
It's crucial to protect your skin from solar radiation to avoid undoing the benefits of your corrective antiaging skin care. Avoid sun exposure from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. when solar radiation is at its height. Wear a broad-brimmed hat, and always wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 30 or greater, the American Academy of Dermatology advises.
Warnings
AHA creams and fruit-based home treatments can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight. Topical antioxidant treatments, particularly vitamin C, may improve surface appearance -- and possibly help replenish collagen. It isn't clear if these creams can penetrate deeply enough into the skin, according to the New Zealand Dermatological Society.
Consult your doctor or dermatologist before beginning antioxidant or other skin treatments. Have a skin cancer screening before attempting to treat dark spots on your skin. Smoking speeds up the skin's aging process and may increase the risk of skin cancer.
References
- DermNet NZ: Photoaging
- American Academy of Dermatology: Mature Skin
- "Own Your Health: Healthy to 100"; Alexa Fleckenstein, M.D. and Roanne Weisman; 2006
- DermNet NZ: Lemon
- DermNet NZ: Vitamin C
