One of the worst possible things that continuous exposure of the some parts of the skin to the harmful rays of the sum can give us is the brown and flat spots which are referred to as the sun spots. Although, these spots are not harmful and can be treated at home and at the dermatologists, many people are not much aware about what it is, how it is caused and the process on how to treat it. This article therefore deals with informing about sun spots on skin, their causes, their home remedies and treatments.
What are sun spots on skin?
Also referred to as Liver spots and solar lentigines, sun spots are flat black, grey or brown spots on the skin that usually occurs to the areas that are largely exposed to the skin most of the times. The sun spots on skin mainly occur since the area of the spots get highly pigmented. Exposing the skin to the harmful UV or ultra violet rays of the sun makes the melanocytes cells of the skin to multiply and produce excess melanin the pigment that helps to put color our hair and eyes, therefore causing the area of the skin to darken.
The size and shape of the sun spots on skin is not definite. These spots an appear any area of the skin that is exposed to the ultra violet rays of the sun for a long period of the sun such as face, neck, shoulders, forearms as well as the back portion of the hands.
Even though these spots can occur to anyone, even then people who have comparatively fair complexion, people who are above the age of 40 years and people who are continuously exposed to the harmful rays of the sun for a long period of time are at greater risk of getting the sun spots on their skin.
What are the Sun Spots Treatments?
Sun spots are one of the most things that appear on the skin if it is exposed to the sun for a prolonged period of time. Even though the sun spots are easily visible on the skin, the black or grey spots that the sun causes on the skin are not harmful or dangerous to the skin. These spots are non cancerous and do not even have the chance of being cancerous. Â Therefore these spots do not pose any serious threat to the people who gets these. However, people might choose to get these sun spots treated for various cosmetic reasons.
There are plenty of home remedies as well as professional treatments that are available that helps to treat these sun spots or fade their appearance. Both the home remedies and the medical treatments do not pose any threat to the skin. However, initially in some skin these remedies might cause certain irritation and redness.
In cases of medical treatments and medications, the dermatologists suggests the treatment best suited for a person after considering the intensity and the area where the sun spot has occurred. In case of home remedies, since there are various, the person must try and choose on to one that best suits their skin.
Home remedies for sun spots
The sun spots are the flat brown, grey or black spots that can appear on the area of the skin that is always exposed to the harmful ultra violet rays of the sun. Even though these sun spots do not pose any serious threat or damage of cancer or any other life threatening diseases, these spots can be treated. Whilst there are many treatments of the dermatologists available, following some simple home remedies can help lessen the spots.
Hence, to mention some of the home or natural remedies to treat the sun spots on skin are:
1. Aloe Vera
Applying aloe vera on the area where the suns spots has appeared is show to lessen the pigmentation of the area slowly making it to fade and disappear. This is for the fact that aloe vera contains certain properties or compounds such as aloin and aloesin which helps in treating or lightening sun spots or any kind of hyper pigmentation.
2. Lemon Juice
Lemon juice contains citric acid. Hence, the acidic properties of it serves as a bleaching agent and therefore is been used in many cosmetic products for lightening the skin. Hence, applying the lemon juice with a cotton pad on the area of the sun spots is known to reduce or fade the appearance of the sun spots. However, it may cause irritation in sensitive and dry skin since it dries the skin.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar
Another natural ingredient that helps to treat sun spots and also aims towards preventing it from occurring is Apple Cider Vinegar. The alpha hydroxyl acid and the acidic acid that the apple cider vinegar contains is said to do the wonders. For using it to reduce the spots, a person can use it as a face mask once in a week or can even opt for applying directly on the spots regularly to witness the results.
4. Vitamin E
The next natural ingredient that can help reduce the pigmentation of the skin that the sun causes is Vitamin E. There are various benefits that the vitamin E has on the skin. Some of the benefits that applying the Vitamin E to the skin are it acts as a natural moisturizing agent to the skin, helps to improve the health of the skin and helps to lessen the effects of the harmful rays of the sun on skin thereby reducing the sun spots on the skin amongst others. A person can choose to intake a diet that is rich in Vitamin E or can directly apply as supplement to the skin.
5. Green Tea
Amongst various other benefits, one of the benefits of green tea is that it helps to treat sun spots. The anti oxidants and anti inflammatory properties of the green tea is known to have a de-pigmenting effect on the skin. Thus applying the green tea on the skin helps to reduce the effects of the sun spots on skin. The best way to use the green tea is to brew the green tea strongly and apply it on the face by patting it but one must ensure to not rub it on the face.
6. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is another natural ingredient that helps in healing the spots that occurs as a result of the harmful ultra violet rays of the sun. The vitamin has anti oxidant properties that have multiple effects on the skin. The main benefit of using Vitamin C on the skin is that it helps to protect the skin from the UVB and UVA rays of the sun. Along with that, vitamin C also helps to brighten the skin.
7. Buttermilk & Milk
Certain dairy products such as milk, buttermilk and sour milk contain lactic acid that works wonders in treating sun spots, skin discoloration and other pigmentation of the skin. These dairy products must be put in to a cotton ball and applied directly on the area of the pigmentation for a long period of time, which is about or more than 20 minutes.
8. Yogurt
Another dairy product that has equal properties and benefits like milk and butter milk is yogurt. The lactic acid that the yogurt contains helps to the pigmentation of the skin that exposing the skin to the sun causes to a person. The lactic acid that the yogurt contains helps to remove the dead skin cells. It therefore helps to reduce the pigmentation of the skin.
9. Honey and Turmeric
Applying a mix of honey and turmeric on the area of the pigmentation on the skin has various positive effects on the skin. The antiseptic property of the turmeric helps to brighten helping to reduce the pigmentation of the skin. The honey contains antioxidant properties that helps to repair and remove the dead skin cells and helps new skin cells to grow. As the old skin cells get repaired, the pigmentation of the skin starts to fade slowly. Both turmeric and honey has been known to treat various skin problems since ages now and is used by various beauty companies.
10. Tomato
The goodness and wonders that tomato does to the skin is not unknown to the people. The tomato contains properties that help to improve the complexion of the skin by brightening it. Therefore it has been grabbed by various skin industries as a main component. Hence applying products that contains tomato or just applying fresh tomatoes directly on the area of the pigmentation on the skin reduces the discoloration.
What are the medical remedies to treat sun spots?
There is certain medical treatment that too aims in reducing the pigmentation or dark spots or the sun spots that exposing the skin to the rays of sun for a long period of time causes. There are a wide range of treatments that the dermatologist chooses from depending on the size and the area of the skin where the sun spot has occurred.
Some of the medical treatments that aims towards reducing the pigmentation of the sun spots on skin are:
1. Chemical Peels
The Chemical Peeling is as sunburn treatment that involves applying a solution to the skin on the areas of the sun spots. The solution exfoliates the skin and causes it to peel off in the end. The old skin is thus replaced by a new and fresh layer of the skin. Initially applying the chemical on the skin may cause a burning sensation on the skin which can be stopped by applying cold compresses and other pain medications.
2. Laser Resurfacing
A comparatively painful way to treat the sun spots, laser resurfacing is another way to ensure that the sun spots on the skin fades away. This treatment involves using a wand device or a light laser that delivers or projects light layers on the areas that have been pigmented by the sun. This treatment enables the old layers of the skin to get removed one by one making way for the new fresh skin to take its place. It takes around 21 days for skin to heal from the process.
3. Intense Pulse Light (IPL)
The Intense Pulse Light which is also referred to as the IPL is another way of treating the sun spots. This treatment aims in destroying the melanin of the spots that are discolored by heating it using a pulse of light. This treatment needs multiple sessions to treat the affected spot. The number of treatment depends on the how much the area has got pigmented.
4. Cryotherapy
In the cryo therapy procedure of treating the sun spots, liquid nitrogen or nitrous oxide is applied to the skin in the areas that has become pigmented. The liquid nitrogen causes the areas that have got the sun spots to freeze and injures it. This procedure is tolerable and takes some few minutes to complete.
5. Micro needling
The process of micro needling as a sunburn treatment involves inducing the collagen production on to the skin using small micro needles. The aim of this process is to make the skin smooth and firm, reduce the scars of acne and also help to reduce the spots that are left by the sun on the face. In order to minimize the effect of the needles on the face and to make the procedure bearable, an anesthetic may be applied to the concerned area.
Sun spots on skin are one of the worst possible things that can pop up in the skin mostly due to the fact that they are dark and the pigmentation makes it extremely prominent and visible. In case one is not affected with a sun spot yet, it is best recommended to take the best possible precautions to prevent it from taking place. For others, following certain simple steps regularly ensures that the spots slowly fade away.
