Ah age spots. Nothing will give your age away quicker at a first handshake. Those dreaded age spots, also known as liver spots and hyperpigmentation, can make you look older than your years.
Aside from the skin around our eyes, our hands can be our biggest age betrayers. Think about it. Our hands are constantly exposed to UV light, washed frequently and hardly ever given the same attention we give our faces.
We want to give you a hand (eh? See what we did there?) on the best ways you can prevent and treat those multiplying and ever-darkening spots.
Let’s tackle them, shall we?
How to Annihilate Age Spots on Your Hands
Start early
Age spots are the unfortunate result of a lifetime of exposure to the sun. Start following these prevention tips immediately—and the younger the better. Age spots and other sun damage can appear on the skin of people in their 20s.
Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen
Wear sunscreen every. Single. Day. Even if it’s cloudy. Even in winter. Slather that stuff on always. Did we say every day? Make sure it’s an SPF 50 or higher and apply it about 20 minutes before heading outside. Then, reapply it every two hours.
Apple cider vinegar
Similar to those pricey anti-aging creams used to help lighten those age spots, apple cider vinegar naturally contains alpha hydroxy acids and makes an awesome skin exfoliator. Dab some onto some age spots right before bed and leave on overnight. If this is too drying to your skin, you can mix it with some olive oil. Do this every day for three to four weeks and you should start seeing a noticeable difference.
Lasers
Getting laser treatments can work to gradually destroy any extra melanin in age spots over the span of a few weeks or months. The downside is that it can take two or more sessions and can be pricey.
If you’re looking to reverse the time-clock, we have some tips for you when it comes to finding the best anti-aging hand creams. Here are 3 anti-aging hand creams that really work.
Take cover!
Whenever you are outside, do your best to cover yourself up. Wear a hat, cover your arms, chest and legs with lightweight fabrics or sit under an umbrella. The sun tends to be most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Don’t forget when you’re driving you’re still exposed to the suns UV rays which passes easily through the glass.
Eat skin smart & exercise
Stock up on plenty of fruits and vegetables and exercise regularly to improve blood circulation to the skin. Here are 7 healthy foods from Men’s Fitness that fend off sun damage and sun fighting superfoods from Women’s Health to help you make your next grocery list.
Taking these precautions to fend off age spots should give any existing dark spots a chance to fade and help prevent any new ones from forming
