Ultraviolet (UV) light speeds up the production of melanin, a natural pigment that gives skin its color. On skin that has had years of sun exposure, age spots appear when melanin becomes clumped or is produced in high concentrations. Use of commercial tanning lamps and beds also can cause age spots.
Why Am I Getting Dark Spots On My Face? Brown spots are caused by the overproduction of melanin in your skin. Melanin is the pigment that gives your skin, hair and eyes their color. It is produced by cells called melanocytes.
It is a brown pigment that generally increases with age, and its formation is increased by consumption of unsaturated fats, by vitamin E deficiency, by stress, and by exposure to excess estrogen."
Laser treatment (procedure): One or two laser treatments can treat age spots quickly, and you'll likely have longer-lasting results than with a cream that can fade age spots. Lasers can also cause some side effects, such as crusting or temporary darkening of age spots, which you won't get with creams.
Vitamin C (or ascorbic acid) is especially fantastic at treating age spots on the face because it depigments or reduces melanin on the skin—thereby removing dark spots.
Causes. Melasma is a common skin disorder. It most often appears in young women with brownish skin tone, but it can affect anyone. Melasma is often associated with the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Age spot treatments include: Medications. Applying prescription bleaching creams (hydroquinone) alone or with retinoids (tretinoin) and a mild steroid might gradually fade the spots over several months. The treatments might cause temporary itching, redness, burning or dryness.
These so-called age spots most commonly occur in people over 50. But individuals in their 20s, 30s, and 40s can also develop “age spots” with prolonged and frequent exposure to the sun. So, though they're related to sunshine, age spots do occur as your sun exposure accumulates with aging.
Stress: While this is controversial, some research findings suggest that stress can trigger melasma. Stress causes the body to make more of the hormone cortisol. An increase in cortisol may trigger melasma.
Spots that become asymmetric, have borders that shift, get darker or lighter, or change in diameter should be checked for skin cancer. Speed of changes. Age spots tend to shift from pink to yellow to tan to brown over several years. Spots that are changing more rapidly should be evaluated.
The brown spots on this man's face may look like age spots, but they're actually actinic keratoses. Left untreated, some actinic keratoses (AKs) turn into a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. That's why it's important to know if you have any of these precancerous growths on your skin.
Chronic, long-term stress can manifest on the skin as hyperpigmentation. A hormone called Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is produced and secreted by the anterior pituitary gland, often in response to biological stress. This hormone triggers melanogenesis, the process of skin pigment production.
These spots are called "actinic lentigines," which are more commonly referred to as sun spots, age spots, or liver spots. These small, gray-brown spots aren't a type of skin cancer. They also don't progress to become skin cancer and don't require any treatment.
Outlook (Prognosis) Liver spots are not dangerous to your health. They are permanent skin changes that affect how your skin looks.
Apple cider vinegar contains natural alpha hydroxy acids, which are known to help lighten sun and age spots. Mix equal quantities of apple cider vinegar and water in a bowl. Stir well and apply on the dark spots. Rinse with lukewarm water and finish off with your favourite moisturiser.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops
To give skin a naturally healthy and dewy finish, there's plumping watermelon and hydration-binding hyaluronic acid present in this 2023 Allure Readers' Choice Award winner.
In addition to its many other functions, estrogen helps control melanin production. Melanin is the pigment in your skin, hair, and eyes. If estrogen levels decrease, melanin production can increase. This leads to hyperpigmentation, commonly known as “age spots.”
Falling estrogen levels may increase the risk of acne around menopause. The role of progesterone remains unclear. Conditions that affect hormone levels, for example polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can trigger acne.
'To a certain extent, yes,' Dr Ward surprisingly tells us. 'It has long been known that putting toothpaste on spots will help to dry them out and zap them up.
Spicy and Fried Foods – inflammatory foods
Spicy foods and/or fried foods are also highly inflammatory in the body. Those foods should be limited as they can also trigger hyperpigmentation of the skin.