The skin produces melanin so that it can absorb ultraviolet radiation from the sun. In our day-to-day activities, we are exposed to sunlight hence melanin protects the skin from being tanned by the sun. Age spots appear on the skin in the form of black or brown spots, which have the same texture as the skin and are painless. They are also known as liver spots and are common among people above the age of 40 but can also occur among young people who are constantly exposed to sunlight.
Age spots occur on the face, hands, shoulders, and back. Some people deliberately expose themselves to sunlight through the process of sunbathing in order to tan their skins hence increasing their chances of getting age spots.
Causes of age spots
These are the factors that influence formation of age spots on a people’s skins;
- Exposure to sunlight. The more you are exposed to sunlight, the more melanin is produced by your body to absorb ultraviolet radiation from the sun hence age spots will form on your skin because of too much melanin.
- Lifestyle. Hygiene goes a long way in ensuring you have a healthy skin. After exercising or working under the sun, you should clean up, if not, all the bacteria formed from your smell and sweat will destroy the skin causing age spots.
- Pollution. Chemicals that are released to the environment from factories and waste materials pollute the environment and everyone around gets toxic chemicals in their systems, which in turn lead to the development of age spots.
How to prevent age spots
Age spots can be prevented in these ways;
- Sunscreen. Every time you want to go out during a sunny day, you should apply sunscreen on your skin moments before you go out to protect it from the brightness and hotness of the sun. Sunscreen keeps your skin safe from the effects of the sun. This will potentially get rid of age spots that would have appeared on bare skin.
- Reduce sunlight exposure. From ten o’clock in the morning to three o’clock in the afternoon, the sun is usually the hottest in a typical sunny day hence you should do your activities in the house or in a shade to prevent your skin from being scorched by the hotness of the sun.
- Wear protective clothing. You can cover your head with a hat, wear sunglasses, put a scarf around your neck, wear long-sleeved clothes and stockings to cover your skin and protect it from the sun. Pick clothes that have an ultraviolet protection factor labeled on them especially for old people for the protection of their skin.
There are many challenges that come with the skin and it is advisable for people to see a dermatologist at least once a year in order for them to assess the requirements of their skins and come up with the best way of taking care of it. Good maintenance of your skin should start at an early age in order to reduce the likelihood of manifestation of age spots when you get older.