Showing posts with label age spots. Show all posts
Showing posts with label age spots. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Get rid of age spots to look younger - Hydroquinone with alpha-hydroxy or glycolic acid



Age spots. No thank you.

What in the heck is an age spot? How do you get them, and more importantly how do you get rid of them?

Age spots sometimes called "gasp" liver spots, are brownish flat areas on the skin that usually show up in areas that have been primarily exposed to the sun. If you are over 40 and have fair skin you are likely to have a few of this tell-tale signs of aging.

The best way to lighten these spots is with hydroquinone. There are over-the-counter concentrations available up to 2 percent, but dermatologists can give you levels of up to 4 percent by prescription. Using daily, these products alone can take four to eight months, sometimes a year to lighten. So no quick fix. 

To speed up the process you can use an alpha-hydroxy product with a hydroquinone. Glycolic acid, lactic and citric acids are other common names for alpha hydroxy acids. One of my favorite and least expensive lactic acids is one I use for my dry elbows and feet called Amlactin. Super affordable for $12-15 - you can buy this at almost any drug store or Costco. Check out my post about what else you can do about hiding wrinkled elbows {HERE}.

If you are ready to attack these areas faster you should make an appointment with a dermatologist to talk about an in office peel or intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment, both of which will give you faster results than with a cream. 

Uneven skin tone / pigmentation will make you look older, maybe even more so than wrinkless will. Concealing well can help cover them up, but you walk a fine line with using too much make-up or foundation as you age since it can settle into fine lines and wrinkles making them more prominent. This is where I advise to take care of the skin first with products that can really help like these and use creamy concealer just on the areas that need covering instead of an all over heavy foundation.