Age Spot Removal Home Remedies

Age spots are harmless but can be unappealing in appearance, making many people seek out methods of removing them. These brownish spots appear as we age, but the reason stems from many years of sun exposure. Some people are more prone to age spots due to genetics and lifestyle factors.

There are many treatments and remedies for age spots, and some of them can start right in your own home.

If you want to prevent age spots, try applying sun screen that helps to shade the skin from damage caused by the sun’s UV rays. If you already have age spots, it’s important to use sun screen for further prevention.

• Lemon Juice

Regularly applying lemon juice directly to the affected area with a cotton ball will make age spots vanish. Try this twice a day and you should see results within six  to eight weeks. The acid in the lemon juice helps to break down the age spots. After regular application of lemon juice, the age spots begin to fade and the skin peels, which removes them completely. Lemon juice on the skin can increase the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight, so don’t go outdoors directly after applying lemon juice.

• Creams

There are cream that you can buy to use at home. Some contain alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that remove age spots by removing dead skin cells. When the skin sloughs off, new skin appears where the age spots formerly wear. This type of cream can be irritating and you should discontinue use if irritation occurs. There is also a prescription cream called Retin-A that is found to remove age spots completely.

• Chemical Peels

There are chemical peel kits that you can buy that shed the skin and remove age spots. They can be harsh on the skin and cause adverse effects so they have to be used carefully. Some people opt for other methods like lemon juice or onion. Applying onion to the face has the same result as lemon juice because the acid peels the skin and removes age spots.

• Apple Cider Vinegar

To use an apple cider vinegar concoction to vanish age spots, you need to mix it with onion juice. Blend an onion and then use a strainer to extract the juice. Add one part onion juice and one part apple cider vinegar to a bowl and whisk together. Use a cotton ball to dip in the mixture and apply to the age spots. After 6 weeks, the age spots will have disappeared or at least begun to fade. If the age spot hasn’t completely disappeared, keep applying the solution until it does. You can also combine this method with the use of aloe vera juice. You can apply it to the skin in a similar manner, using a cotton swab. Aloe is very soothing on the skin and has been found to reduce the appearance of age spots and heal the skin.

• Vitamin E

Vitamin E can be purchased in oil form to be used externally on the skin. The best way to use Vitamin E to remove age spots is to apply the oil to the skin on a daily basis while also taking a Vitamin E supplement.

• Diet

Whichever treatment method you choose, you can support the body’s natural healing process by consuming nutrient-rich foods. You should focus on foods that contain vitamins that help the skin replenish and rebuild itself. Both Vitamin E and Vitamin A are essential for skin health. The antioxidants found in blueberries and green leafy vegetables will help aid the process of age spot reversal as well.

Some age spots may be larger and darker and require treatment by a dermatologist for them to fade away completely. Home remedies for age spots are mostly inexpensive and can be very effective, so you might want to try them first before going to a dermatologist, especially for smaller age spots.

While age spots are harmless, there are some spots on the skin that can be problematic. If you are concerned that the spot on your skin isn’t an age spot or if it changes in appearance or color, then you should consult with your doctor.

The home treatments mentioned above are considered to be safer and less harsh than some other methods, such as bleaching creams. Lemon juice and onion juice create a natural bleaching effect because the acid induces skin peeling. You may not notice immediate results with home remedies though and it’s imperative to not become discouraged and stop the treatment if you aren’t noticing results immediately. Most home remedies can take at least a month to begin to notice results and sometimes even longer for the age spot to vanish completely.

Whichever treatment you choose, be sure to wear sunscreen when you are  in the sun for long periods of time in order to prevent more age spots from developing.