What is Age spot, Its symptoms and treatment

Age spots:

Age spots are flat brown, gray, or black spots on the skin. They usually occur on sun-exposed areas. Age spots are also called liver spots, senile lentigo, solar lentigines, or sun spots.

Causes of age spots

Age spots are the result of an excess production of melanin, or skin pigment. Doctors don’t always know why age spots develop. Skin aging, sun exposure, or other forms of ultraviolet (UV) light exposure, such as tanning beds, are all possible causes. 

• your face
• the back of your hands
• your shoulders
• your upper back
• your forearms

Symptoms of age spots and treatment:

Age spots range from light brown to black in color. The spots have the same texture as the rest of your skin, and usually appear on sun-exposed areas. They do not cause any pain.

a)      Prescription medications:

Your healthcare provider may prescribe bleaching creams to fade the age spots gradually. These usually contain hydroquinone, with or without retinoids such as tretinoin. Bleaching creams usually take several months to fade age spots.

Bleaching and tretinoin creams make your skin more sensitive to UV damage. You will need to wear sunscreen at all times during treatment and continue to wear sunscreen, even on cloudy days, after fading the spots.

b)      Medical procedures:

There are several medical procedures that can remove or reduce age spots. Each medical procedure carries a risk of side effects and complications. Ask your dermatologist, plastic surgeon, or skin care professional about which treatment is the most appropriate for your skin.

Medical procedures for age spots include:

• Intense pulsed light treatment, which emits a range of light waves that passes through the skin and targets melanin to destroy or breakup the spots
• Chemical peels, which remove the outer layer of your skin so new skin can grow in its place
•  Dermabrasin which smooths off the outer layers of the skin so new skin can grow in its place
• Cryosurgery, which freezes individual age spots with liquid nitrogen

Preventing age spots:

While you can’t always prevent age spots, there are several ways you can reduce your chances of developing them:

• Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when the sun’s rays are most intense.
• Wear sunscreen every day. It should have a sun protection factor (SPF) rating of at least 30 and contain both UVA and UVB protection.
• Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before sun exposure. Reapply every two hours, and more often if swimming or perspiring.
• Wear protective clothing such as hats, pants, and long-sleeved shirts. These help protect your skin from UV rays. For the best protection, wear UV-blocking clothes with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of at least 40.

For more information and query you may visit KEMPS Skin Clinic Vaishali. KEMPS Skin Clinic is a leading skincare & Laser hair removal Clinic in Ghaziabad.

What is Keratosis Pilaris

“Keratosis pilaris (KP) is a common and benign disorder of hair follicles in the skin,” says Dr Manju keshari, Senior Dermatologists ,KEMPS Skin Clinic “ It typically presents as rough 1 to 2 mm little bumps on your skin, particularly on the backs of arms but can also affect the buttocks, upper thighs and even cheeks. It’s often described in association with other dry skin conditions like eczema.”

50 to 80 percent of adolescents and 40 percent of adults have keratosis pilaris, and because it’s inherited, about half of patients also have family members with the same skin condition. It’s typically at its worse during puberty and improves with age, but as with most skin conditions, it can also be affected by the changing seasons. “Keratosis pilaris improves during summer months and worsens as the skin tends to dry out during the winter,” she explains.

Gradually, keratosis pilaris usually clears up on its own. In the meantime, you might use any of the various products available to help improve the appearance of affected skin. If moisturizing and other self-care measures don't help, your doctor may prescribe medicated creams.

How to Treat Keratosis Pilaris:

(1)    Creams to remove dead skin cells. Creams containing alpha hydroxy acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid or urea help loosen and remove dead skin cells. They also moisturize and soften dry skin. Depending on their strength, these creams (topical exfoliants) are available over-the-counter or with a prescription. Your dermetologist can advise you on the best option and how often to apply. The acids in these creams may cause redness, stinging or skin irritation, so they aren't recommended for young children.

(2)    Creams to prevent plugged follicles: Creams derived from vitamin A (topical retinoids) work by promoting cell turnover and preventing plugged hair follicles. Tretinoin (Retin-A, Renova, Avita) and tazarotene (Avage, Tazorac) are examples of topical retinoids. These products can irritate and dry the skin. Also, if you're pregnant or nursing, your dermatologist may suggest delaying topical retinoid therapy or choosing another treatment

Home remedies:

Self-help measures won't prevent keratosis pilaris or make it go away. But they may improve the appearance of the affected skin.

1)      Use warm water and limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from the skin. Limit bath or shower time to about 10 minutes or less. Use warm, not hot, water.

2)      Be gentle to the skin. Avoid harsh, drying soaps. Gently remove dead skin (exfoliate) with a washcloth or loofah. Vigorous scrubbing or removal of hair follicle plugs may irritate the skin and aggravate the condition. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot the skin with a towel so that some moisture remains.

3)      Try medicated creams. Apply an over-the-counter cream that contains urea (Nutraplus, Eucerin), lactic acid (AmLactin, Lac-Hydrin), alpha hydroxy acid or salicylic acid. These creams help loosen and remove dead skin cells. They also moisturize and soften dry skin. Put on this product before moisturizer.

4)      Moisturize. While the skin is still moist from bathing, apply a moisturizer that contains lanolin (Lansinoh, Medela), petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or glycerin (Glysolid). These ingredients soothe dry skin and help trap moisture. Thicker moisturizers work best, such as Eucerin and Cetaphil. Reapply the product to the affected skin several times a day.

5)      Use a humidifier. Low humidity dries out the skin. A portable home humidifier or one attached to your furnace will add moisture to the air inside your home.

6)      Avoid friction from tight clothes. Protect affected skin from the friction caused by wearing tight clothes.

If you want t know more about Keratosis pilaris visit KEMPS Skin Clinic , Vailshali ,Ghaziabad. Book a prior appointment for better for your comfort.

How to choose non toxic moisturizer?

Proper non-toxic moisturizing prevents dry, flaky skin, and is the first line of defense against fine lines and wrinkles. Typically, people reach for a moisturizer when they live in a dry climate or when winter rolls around, but dry skin can be anywhere, anytime issue.

Seasonal dry skin can be tricky. While products are essential to keeping the dry skin at bay, don't forget about the other things you can do for it, too: drink lots of water; mind your nutrition; get your blood pumping; get plenty of rest; stay out of the direct blast of artificial heat, and don't spend too much time in a hot shower. With a mindful approach to skincare and life balance, your skin will remain healthy, happy, and looking its best in bad weather.

What should you look for in a non-toxic moisturizer?  

It’s important to know that while it is required for all ingredients to be listed on packaging labels, it is not required for them to be listed on a manufacturer’s website. A good cosmetic company promise is that they will always list all their ingredients on both,  website and product packaging, though they list the common ingredient name.

Facial moisturizers are classified as a cosmetic, which means there are very few marketing regulations imposed upon companies. Walkthrough the personal care aisles and you may be tempted to pick a moisturizer boasting argan or coconut oil on its label. While these are great ingredients, it is important to not take them at face value; there could be other not-so-great ingredients lurking in the formula. A quick survey of common moisturizers returned a long list of artificial and potentially toxic ingredients sitting right next to the argan and the coconut oil.

How to Spot a Toxic Product without having to memorize complicated language:

Scan the ingredients for toxic red flag warnings, like fragrance (phthalates) and artificial colors (carcinogens). If those are in the mix, there is a good chance other toxic ingredients are in there, too.

Avoid products that contain ingredients that start with Ethyl-, Methyl-, Butyl-, or Propyl-, which tend to be parabens and glycols. 

Don't forget moisturizing your body

“Great advantage of using a body is its ingredients have anti-inflammatory and skin calming properties.so  don’t forget to moisturize your body in winter” Says by Dr. Manju Keshri, Senior Dermatologist at KEMPS skin clinic. KEMPS Skin Clinic provides the best skincare treatment and consultancy related to skin care and hair care.