If your face is so spotted that you look like a leopard, erase your age spots. Age spots, also known as "sun spots" or "liver spots," are areas of the skin that become darker due to age and sun damage. Age spots are most common in adults age 40 or older, says the Mayo Clinic. If you have one or two age spots on your face, you can reduce their appearance with over-the-counter bleaching creams. If you have lots of age spots or they are very dark, you may need prescription cream or a laser procedure to help remove your age spots permanently.
Step 1
Dab mild age spots with an over-the-counter bleaching cream. The Mayo Clinic recommends a bleaching cream that contains hydroquinone to help lighten age spots.
Step 2
Consult your doctor about a prescription bleaching cream or retinoid cream if over-the-counter creams are ineffective. Your doctor can prescribe a cream that contains hydroquinone or a retinoid that encourages skin exfoliation, like tretinoin.
Step 3
Ask your doctor about chemical peels, recommends John E. Wolf, Jr., MD, chairman of the dermatology department at Baylor College of Medicine. A chemical peel promotes skin exfoliation, which can help fade mild age spots.
Step 4
Get laser therapy. Laser therapy can destroy the pigment on the skin that makes age spots dark, states the Mayo Clinic. Laser therapy may be effective on both mild and very dark age spots, but may require more than one session.
Step 5
Consult your dermatologist about cryotherapy, a procedure that freezes the age spots with liquid nitrogen. Once the spot is treated, new skin will grow in its place. Cryotherapy works best on one or two isolated age spots, suggests the Mayo Clinic.
Tips and Warnings
- To prevent age spots, wear sunscreen of at least 30 SPF before going outside.
- Get several opinions before deciding on a dermatologist to perform a medical procedure.
Things You'll Need
- Over-the-counter bleaching cream
- Prescription bleaching cream
- Prescription retinoid cream
Member Comments