Getting skin spots with age is a natural process. Skin changes and with those changes come spots – brown, flat spots that appear on the faces, arms, hands and other areas exposed to the sunlight. Yes, these spots can be covered up, but figuring out the causes behind them should be the foremost idea, so you they can be treated and you don’t have to cover them up anymore.
What Are Age Spots?
If you think that you have developed age spots, you will see small or medium-sized dark areas of hyperpigmentation. Age spots are also known as “sun spots” and ‘liver spots”. These can appear in different size and usually appear on the hands, shoulders arms and face. These spots are very common in older people of more than the age of 50. But younger people can experience them too, especially if they spend the maximum of their time in the sun. Age spots Montreal look like harmful cancerous cells. These spots are harmless, but it is essential to differentiate age spots from malignant cancerous cells and know when to visit a dermatologist.
Symptoms Of Age Spots
Age Spots are a natural result of the aging process. There are several factors which led to the formation of Age Spots, including:
- Smoking
- Sun Exposure
- Pollution
- Lifestyle, for example: inadequate diet, sleep habits or lack of exercise
Limiting exposure to these above factors, such as quitting smoking or covering yourself when you step out will help slow down your aging processes leading to age spots.
When To Visit A Dermatologist
Although, these spots are usually harmless and don’t require treatment. Get age spots evaluated by your doctor to determine if they are just age spots or a more serious condition and if they are changed in appearance or appear dark. These changes can be a danger sign of Melanoma, a form of skin cancer.
It’s better to have skin changes checked out by a doctor in right time, especially if a spot :
- Increasing in size
- Darkly pigmented
- Has an irregular border or shape
- Accompanied by bleeding or itchiness
Causes Of Age Spots
The Major cause of Age Spots is Sun Exposure. Age Spots are common after a person cross age of 40, appearing in areas that are mostly exposed to the sun such as :
- Face
- Forehead
- Shoulders
- Hands
- Forearms
The constant use of commercial tanning beds or lamps also contributes to the development of age spots.
Prevention
Natural age spots do not require medical treatment in most of the cases. Laser treatment or Freezing or Cryotherapy can be recommended to get rid of age spots.
To help prevent age spots and new spots after treatment, you can follow the following tips to limit sun exposure:
- Avoid stepping out in the sun between 11 am to 3 pm as the sun rays are intense during this peak hours.
- Apply good quality sunscreen, 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors. Apply sunscreen properly; you can reapply after every one hour. Apply sunscreen in winters too.
- Cover yourself for protection from intense sun rays. Wear clothes that cover your legs and hands. You can also wear a hat or cap when you go out for outdoor activities. Use sun shades to protect your eyes from the sun.
Age spots are one of the top most skin care concerns, yet most people don’t know that these spots can be treated with the use of right skin care products and other treatments.
