As a person gets older, there are many different things that can happen to their physical appearance that would indicate aging. Classic signs of aging include graying hair and wrinkles. However, while there are some physical conditions associated with aging that are considered to be genetic predispositions, there are others that can be caused by various lifestyle habits.
People who subject themselves to extensive sun exposure over the years become prime candidates for age spot removal. In order to understand the correlation between age spots and sun exposure, it is important to understand the formation of melanin. Melanin is a pigmentation that the skin produces in order to protect itself against the harmful ultraviolet rays that the sun emits.
Age spots occur when the skin, over time, keeps producing pigmentation on top of itself. Age spots are, of course, most prevalent on the face, but they can occur almost anywhere on the body. Although it is thought by many people that age spot removal is more of a cosmetic procedure, it can actually be a very necessary procedure as well, especially if it is determined that the age spots are forms of skin cancer.
So, how is it determined that an age spot is cancerous? First of all, the person with the age spot will not be able to diagnose it on his or her own. Rather, the person will need to get it checked by a dermatologist. Usually, the dermatologist will be able to determine by sight whether or not the age spot is cancerous. Especially dark pigmentation, along with an age spot that, rather than being completely circular, is jagged, are two of the most prevalent skin cancer indicators.
What are the various age spot removal methods that are available? The first of these methods involves injecting the problematic age spot with a freezing solution. This is a brief outpatient procedure in which first, a topical numbing cream might be applied to the area being treated, and then the actual injections will be administered to the problem areas. What the freezing solution does is kill off the skin cells that are in the age spot, therefore making the age spot drop off. The empty area might then require a couple of stitches to allow it to heal properly.
Another form of age spot removal involves laser treatments. Like the freezing injections, laser treatments are outpatient procedures that are performed by a dermatologist. The heat of the laser eradicates the harmful skin cells, while at the same time the light of the laser stimulates the skin cells to repair themselves, thereby creating new skin tissue.
Of course, an important thing to keep in mind, no matter what form of removal that is chosen, is knowing how to protect the skin against the sun. Wearing an SPF of 30 or more each time the person will be out in the sun is very important. If the person wants to get a tan, then the safest ways to do so is to either using a tanning lotion, or to get a spray tan.
