Home Remedies To Remove Age Spots

Home Remedies To Remove Age Spots

Regardless of your ethnic background or skin color, eventually most of us will develop some kind of brown or age spots. *sigh* These age spots generally appear on exposed skin areas like the face, back, neck, chest, shoulders and hands. The MAIN culprit being sun exposure. When skin is exposed to the sun, it causes an increase in the production of cells known as melanocytes that increase melanin in the skin, which turns the skin darker. But whatever the reason for their occurrence, while age spots aren’t dangerous, they can make you look older, which is why so many people look for ways of removing them. There are a number of medical procedures that can treat age spots, however, each one comes with a list of potential side effects and complications, not to mention a high cost. Those include laser therapy that destroys the cells that produce melanin; dermabrasion, which works by sanding off the skin’s outer layers, allowing new skin to grow in its place; chemical peels that work in much the same way, but burn the outer layer of the skin, and cryosurgery, which freezes age spots with liquid nitrogen.

Symptoms
Age spots have many symptoms with which they can be easily identified. Some of them are as follows:

Appearance of flat, oval areas of increased pigmentation on the skin in black, brown and tan colours.
Occur mostly on the skin exposed to sun; like the back of hands, top of your feet, face, shoulders and upper back.
Can vary in size – from as small as a freckle to ½ inch. Sometimes, age spots group together to form more prominent appearances.
Have the same texture as the rest of the skin.
Are painless.

NATURAL REMEDIES FOR AGE SPOTS

Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a good remedy to make age spots less noticeable and improve your skin tone. It contains alpha hydroxy acids that work as an excellent skin exfoliating agent. This in turn helps lighten age spots and other patchy areas on your skin.

Mix equal parts of raw, unfiltered apple cider and water. Add a little honey. Apply it on the affected skin, leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse it off. Do this once daily.
Also, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of organic apple cider to 1 glass of water. Drink it once or twice daily to improve your skin as well as overall health.
Note: It is normal to experience slight redness or stinging initially. However, if the irritation is severe, discontinue use of apple cider vinegar.

Buttermilk
Buttermilk has lactic acid in it, which not only helps to restore and rejuvenate the skin, it can diminish age spots and make it healthier in the process. All you need for this remedy is a small bowl of buttermilk and a cotton ball.

Dip your cotton ball into the bowl of buttermilk and then squeeze it to remove excess buttermilk. Apply the cotton ball onto your age spots and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes; rinse with lukewarm water. If you have acne prone skin, add a few drops of lime juice to the buttermilk before use. Repeat on a daily basis until the spots fade. You can take this remedy up a notch by using buttermilk to wash your face or even enjoy a buttermilk bath.

Lemon Juice
The citric acid in lemon juice is a natural bleaching agent and exfoliates the skin, reducing the appearance of age spots.

Simply dab fresh lemon juice directly onto the spots twice daily and you should begin to notice improvements in about two months. Leave the juice on the skin for at least 30 minutes, or as long as you are comfortable with it. You can also leave the juice on the skin overnight.
Notes: If you plan to go outdoors, wait for the juice to dry as it increases the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight. Do not use bottled lemon juice because it may contain other chemicals that may damage the skin. In addition, the amount of citric acid present may have weakened during the time it remained in the bottle

Castor Oil: Age spots can sometimes be rough in texture. If the same is the case with you, apply castor oil on the spots twice a day regularly for few months. You will see a distinct improvement in the appearance where the texture becomes smooth.

Aloe Vera
When it comes to reducing the appearance of age spots, aloe vera is very effective.

Aloe vera has certain compounds that gently remove dead skin cells and encourage the growth of new, healthy cells. With regular use, it can lighten and possibly remove age spots. Plus, it has a moisturizing property that keeps the skin feeling fresh, young and hydrated.

Break a leaf off of an aloe vera plant, cut it open and extract the gel.
Rub the gel onto your age spots.
Allow it to soak into your skin for 1 hour or more. You can then rinse your skin.
Repeat twice a day.

Onions
Onions can be effective for age spots as they contain sulfur compounds which serve as an antiseptic, as well as acids that help to exfoliate the skin. While the smell isn’t exactly pleasant, this is a great remedy for those who find lemons or vinegar too irritating. All you need is a knife and an onion. Slice up the onion and rub it over affected areas two to three times daily. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes and then rinse well, until the odor has dissipated. For greater effectiveness, mix a tablespoon of onion juice with two tablespoons of honey and follow the same instructions.

Horseradish
The Vitamin C in horseradish slows production of melanin, the substance responsible for skin pigmentation. Another ingredient in horseradish is glucosinolates. Glucosinolates increase circulation, work as antioxidants, and flush waste from the body.

You can make a horseradish paste and apply it directly to the skin. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes before washing it off. Use it a few times a week.
Another option is to grate a four-inch piece of horseradish with mix it in one-quarter cup of apple cider vinegar and allow the mixture to sit for two weeks. After two weeks, strain the mixture. Use a cotton ball to apply it on the affected skin. Follow this remedy three times a day for at least one month.

Olive Oil and Vinegar: A mixture of olive oil and vinegar can be used to erase the age spots. This mixture should be washed off with water within half an hour of its application.