3 Ways to Remove Age Spots without Surgery

Age spots are a common occurrence as the body ages. While the skin on the hands might seem to be smooth, the effects of sun exposure become all the more apparent as the skin becomes thinner and less youthful. Age spots are caused when the melanin in the skin builds up, causing the appearance of spots. Though these spots are generally painless and do not lead to any other health problems, there are some who want to remove them. Since age spots can make a person appear older than they are, or older than they want to seem, removing age spots without surgery is ideal. Here are 3 ways to remove age spots, or liver spots:

1. Skin Lightening Treatments

Many drugstores and skin care companies offer customers bleaching creams for the skin. These creams help to lighten the skin tone, causing age spots to be less apparent. These creams can be used on the skin at any time, helping to reduce the impact the liver spots might have on one's appearance. Though these creams can not necessarily remove all spots, and they do work best on those with lighter skin tones, the bleaching and lightening creams are readily available. By following the directions, users will be able to help their age spots become less apparent to those around them. Look for creams which contain hydroquinone, as this seems to be the most effective ingredient for bleaching. Natural formulas are also available.

2. Cryotherapy

Others might choose to use cryotherapy in order to remove the age spots on their hands and body. A physician would use liquid nitrogen in order to freeze the age spots and then they can be removed easily. While this procedure sounds painful, the pain is minimized with anesthetic cream before hand. The therapy also does not leave scars, helping the patient to remove the spots without worrying about causing more damage. The skin might need several treatments before the final results can be seen, and the skin will have some redness and irritation as the new skin cells come to the surface to heal the treated area. This treatment can be completed in a physician's office.

3. Laser Therapies

For those whose age spots are darker or that seem to be more disruptive to their lives, laser therapy might be the best option for removal. Using lasers, the skin is treated and the age spot appearance is reduced. The main concern with laser treatment is that if it's not done by a professional, it can cause irreversible scarring. Painful at times, the laser treatment may also need to be repeated up to eight times in order to see the full effects. These laser treatments can often be done in a doctor's office as well.

Age spots are often considered to be a fact of life when surgery is not an option. But, patients can remove the appearance of these spots on their body just by looking into three simple treatments which can be done on their own or under the care of a physician.