Some facts about sunspots that would surprise you
- Sunspots are the commonly found skin issues that basically arrive due to the exposure to the sun on areas like forearms, back of hands, and even the face.
- The sunspots are not cancerous, but they might turn into squamous cell carcinoma which is a type of skin cancer.
- Sunspots are likely to affect the people having fair skin compared to the dark skin ones.
- Sunspots and freckles are different. Even though they look similar, they are different from each other.
- Sunspots are basically caused due to long hours of exposure to the harmful UV rays or other artificial sources of UV rays like a tanning bed.
What are sunspots?
Are you also among the various people looking for how to get rid of sunspots on face? This is one of the most searched skin issues as it is quite common for the people who are under the harmful UV rays for long hours. So, what basically is sunspots? Lets first understand it before looking for its treatments.
Sunspots are nothing but the liver spots which are very common when it comes to skin issues. Also known as solar lentigines, they are widely observed with people having fair skin as well as with age more than 40. They are those brown spots that are found developing on the skin when the skin is exposed too much to the sun or say the UV radiation which results into pigmentation of the skin cells known as melanocytes multiplying to double or more. The spots come in different size and shape and are usually found on the body parts that are likely to face more exposure like shoulders, face, hand backs, and forearms too. They can either be scaly or even flat. The sunspots on face are generally noncancerous and harmless and they can be treated too for various cosmetic purpose.
How to Get Rid of Sunspots on the Face?
While looking for how to get rid of sunspots on face, the first thing you need to know how the spots on your face look like. According to the appearance of the spots on your body, the color, and shape, the spots can be categorized in the following types.
1. Lentigines
Lentigines are the most commonly found spots which are popular by the names age spots, liver spots or even the sunspots. They are much bigger than the freckles the lentiges come in different colors like dark brown to black and even tan. The spots in red or white are not actually the sunspots. They don’t have any particular shape and are different in different people.
2. Freckles
These are the spots which darken the skin during the summers and nearly vanish by the time winter arrives. Although the freckles are not harmful to the skin, they still increase the chances of having skin cancer. The chances of having freckles increases if you ever had it in childhood, otherwise the chances are near to zero.
3. Melasma
Melasma is a condition of sunspots that are highly observed in women while they are in their 20s or even in 30s. The patches in this condition are darker and with irregular shapes appearing on the forehead or other skin parts. They are also caused due to hormonal imbalance and can be aggravated when exposed to the sun.
No matter whatever type the sunspots on the face are they can easily be treated with some of the natural home remedies.
Some of the widely used effective remedies for sunspots
1. Lemon
When it comes to how to get rid of sunspots, lemon is among the most effective ingredient. It comes with bleaching properties which help in reducing the appearance of the sunspots giving you a radiant and flawless appearance. Here is what you need to do:
Ingredients
- Lemon
- Cotton ball
How to do it
- Take one fresh lemon and squeeze it in a bowl.
- Using a cotton ball apply the lemon juice on the affected area and allow it to rest for around 20 to 30 mins.
- Wash the face using cool water and use some moisturizer on it.
For better results, you can also add some sugar to the lemon juice and use it similarly in the form of a scrubber. Using this remedy on a daily basis would help with effective results soon.
2. Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is widely used for a number of skin problems since ancient times. It is a natural agent for healing various skin issues like dark spots, sun damaged areas, etc. It also helps in improving the quality of the skin and regeneration too.
Ingredients
- Fresh Aloe Vera gel or Aloe juice
How to use it
- Take the extract of Aloe Vera from the leaf, its juice or even the gel and apply it on the affected area.
- Allow it to work for around 30 minutes and wash it off using normal water.
- For effective results, work on this process almost on a daily basis.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar
While looking for how to get rid of sunspots on face, apple cider vinegar is yet another beneficial ingredient. It comes with acids that can help in exfoliation of the damaged skin, remove the scars, blemishes, dark skin cells and even the sunspots.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp of water
- 1 tbsp of honey
How to use it
- Take all the ingredients in given measurements and mix them properly in a bowl.
- Apply the mixture on the skin or face and allow it to rest for minimum 10 minutes.
- Wash the face using normal water.
Adding some fresh orange juice would help with fast results. Using this ingredient even once in a day would improve the skin conditions and maximize the results.
4. Watermelon
Watermelon is filled with Vitamin C, B and A. Along with Vitamins, it is also rich in other anti-oxidants which can be more effective on skin compared to the berries. Watermelon wouldn’t provide you with instant results, but would surely give you an improved skin tone after some time.
Ingredients
- Watermelon pieces
How to use it
- Take some watermelon pieces and using your finger or a fork crush it.
- Apply the pulp on the face and leave it for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Wash off the pulp with regular water.
Using the watermelon pulp is surely not going to harm or damage your skin if applied daily.
5. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is quite essential for a number of skin issues. It is widely used for moisturizing the cuticles and the skin when added to the treatments. It can be taken internally in the form of a supplement and even applied on the skin for lightening.
Ingredients
- Vitamin E capsules
How to use it
- Take one capsule of Vitamin E and squeeze it on your face.
- Spread it properly on affected areas.
- Allow the capsule work overnight. Wash your face in the morning.
When used overnight, Vitamin E brings magical results to the face without any harm.
These are some of the widely used ingredients that can be used for working over sunspots on face. Apart from this, other products used include sandalwood, turmeric, buttermilk, yogurt, green tea, coconut water, sweet almond oil, and many more.
What is the conventional treatment for sunspots?
If you visit any dermatologist and ask him how to get rid of sunspots, they would suggest you for the conventional treatments which come with their own range of invasiveness, cost and time period of healing your sunspots. Even while using the conventional treatment, the sunspots are going to vanish slowly.
Here is what the conventional treatment includes –
Lotions and creams
Just move to any drug store or cosmetic store and you would be provided with a number of lotions and creams that would be safe to use for your skin. There are particular lotions or even creams that with the help of physical or chemical exfoliation helps in removing the dead skin cells from the damaged skin. Some lotions and creams come with ingredients like hydroquinone, licorice, niacinamide, mulberry extract and Vitamin C that help in lightening the skin tone. Such creams when used on a regular basis, can help with desired results in some months depending on the product you select.
Skin Procedures
When it comes to the dermatologists, and you are sure to get several procedures for eliminating the sunspots on face. One of the treatments suggested by the dermatologist is the laser treatment which zaps in the skin for removing the sunspots in around one or two sittings. Another widely recommended treatment is the cryotherapy in which the sunspots are freeze to fall.
Finally, at the end of both the conventional treatments, the chemical or the microdermabrasion removes the skin surface. This process can take nearly 16 weeks for removing the sunspots from the face.
What are some precautions to avoid sunspots?
Sunspots on the face are one of the most unwanted things for anyone. Just as there are natural and conventional ways of dealing with the sunspots on face, there are some precautions if taken care of you can easily deal with them in the initial stage as well as stop their arrival. Here is what you need to do.
Exfoliate the skin
Make sure you carry out the exfoliation of the skin on a regular basis when it comes to dealing or avoiding the sunspots. Exfoliating the skin would discolor the dark spots by working on the damaged skin cells. Exfoliation rejuvenates the skin cells and helps the skin in producing new cells.
Moisturize the skin
When it comes to how to get rid of sunspots, moisturizing the skin holds a vital role. For avoiding the unwanted dry patches, make sure you moisturize the skin regularly. Moisturizing the skin would help in the nourishment of the skin which also helps in healing any damage to the skin too.
Focus on your diet
Look for more ingredients in your diet that are rich in anti-aging properties. Include food items that would help in repairing the skin damage and protect your skin. Include Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A in your routine. Look for ingredients like almonds, sunflower seeds, broccoli, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and other veggies.
Take green tea for hydration
Staying hydrated is equally important for the skin. Apart from drinking only water, you can also add green tea to your diet plan for flushing out the unwanted toxins from the body. This helps in keeping the skin hydrated as well as glowing, healthy and young looking.
Apart from all these, avoiding long hours in the sun, using a good sunscreen, and focusing on what you are wearing also helps in dealing with sunspots. Take proper precautions, and still if you find any serious matter regarding the sunspots, immediately make a move to the dermatologist for avoiding skin cancer.
So, what are you doing to keep the sunspots away? Write to us.
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