Spotted Skin? Clean it Up!
Spotted skin – yet another sign getting older. These brown spots, or “age spots” as they are often referred, are a fairly common form of skin discoloration brought on by a number factors including acne, trauma to the skin, and medications, to name a few. The biggest culprit however, is sun exposure.
You might remember during your childhood years getting a few freckles here and there during the summer months. Over time though, as age set in, these freckles, turned into larger spots. For those in their 40s and 50s, these are often most apparent, but depending on how much time was spent in the sun without protection, they can begin to appear as early as 20s or 30s.
How do you prevent age spots, or get rid of them if they are already there?
Problem: Sun Spots
As I noted, as we age and our skin is confronted by more assaulting elements, it can develop an uneven tone. Sunspots, age spots, brown spots or whatever moniker you refer to them as, can occur in any skin type – oily, dry, dark and light. In essence, it is excessive stimulation of melanin in the skin caused either from systemic (within in the body) or extrinsic (outside) causes. These include:
- Sun exposure
- Medications and chemicals
- Ingrown Hairs from shaving
- Acne trauma and inflammation
Of the above listed, the primary extrinsic culprit of discoloration is the sun. The good news – there are ways to prevent and correct sun-related discoloration issues.
Solution: Prevent and Regenerate
There are many solutions from peel treatments to more mild home-care products, and using a combination of the two is the most effective way to zap the spots.
Peels (they sound scarier than they are) are good for regenerating the skin. Think ‘out with the old and in with the new.’ Peel treatments essentially bring new skin to the surface, giving you an overall refresh. A trip to the spa is required for this type of treatment, as a professional will be able to determine which type of peel is right for your skin. For us guys, phytic and pyruvic acid work well, along with salicylic acid, L-arbutin, kojic acid and azelaic acid, which have brightening properties.
There are steps you can take day-to-day to keep skin tone balanced:
- L-lactic acid – an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) with natural brightening abilities. See the Blue Agave Cleanser.
- Retinoids – a vitamin A derivative, it stimulates cell growth and regeneration. See the Radical Redux.
- Zinc oxide – a natural mineral blocker that helps prevent damage caused by UV rays. See the EnviroProtect.
Bottom line – always protect the skin. Prevention is the key to keeping skin healthy and an even skin tone. Using a natural mineral blocker like zinc oxide will keep age spots at bay, not to mention a number of other age-related issues.