Age spots are the yellowish-brown flat spots that look like large freckles and are thought to be caused by aging, too much sun, impaired liver function, and a dietary or nutritional deficiency. Like freckles, it is important to be cautious and aware of any unusual changes.
As we age, our metabolism changes and the liver may become so over-loaded with toxins that it cannot get rid of them. Result is age spots. They take years to form and eliminating them takes time too.
Self-Help Guidelines
• Improve your diet to include fruits and vegetables, especially in raw form. Drink eight to 10 glasses of water daily.
• Avoid sweets, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, and junk foods.
• Avoid rancid oils. Refrigerate all after opening; store nuts and seeds in the freezer or refrigerator; store grains in a cool place; avoid all fried foods as the hot cooking oils contain substances that damage the skin.
• Take beta-carotene rich foods such as carrots, spinach, sweet-potatoes, pumpkin, mango, cauliflower, etc.
• Take potassium-rich foods such as banana, potato, coconut-water, curd, soybeans, orange, pumpkin, sweet potato, almonds, spinach, ground nuts, etc.
• Wheat flour, chicken liver, oysters, sunflower seeds, etc. contain reasonable amounts of selenium, which will also help the condition.
• Consume Vitamin E rich foods such as almonds, cashew nuts, groundnuts, soya beans, sunflower oil, sesame oil, groundnut oil etc. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that slows aging and aids in tissue repair.
• Zinc is important for your skin’s health. Meat and poultry are generally high in zinc. Also include guava, papaya, aamla, grapes, oranges, tomatoes, and such vitamin C rich foodstuffs in your diet.
Ayurvedic Remedies
Try a remedy from the following for some months, and if the condition does not improve, try another.
• Rubbing fresh aloe-vera juice or gel on the spots will help fade them. Use the gel twice a day for a month or two.
• Dab buttermilk on the spots. The lactic acid and other ingredients in the milk are beneficial to the skin. Buttermilk has been used for generations as a skin cleaner and as a beauty aid”.
• Apply castor oil on the spots in the morning and evening, and rub well into the skin. The spots should disappear within a month.
• Try using the Manjishta root. Add half-a-teaspoonful powder to plain hot water and drink. Used externally as a paste by itself or with honey, it heals inflammation and gives the skin an even tone and smoothness.
• Dab some fresh lemon juice on the spots twice daily. If you are going outdoors, wait for the juice to dry as it increases the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight. It may take a few months, but the acidity will make the spots fade.
• Grate an onion and squeeze it through cheese cloth so that you have one teaspoonful of juice. Mix with two teaspoonfuls of vinegar and rub into the spots. Do this two times a day until the spots disappear.