Q&A : PREVENTING, COMBATING THOSE UNSIGHTLY AGE SPOTS.What are age spots? Medically, solar lentignes, or age or liver spots liver spots Age spots, lentigos, senile lentigines, sun-induced skin changes Dermatology A nonspecific lay term for red-brown skin lesions associated with aging–eg, pigmented seborrheic keratosis and lentigo senilis. See Lentigines. - found on the backs of hands or on the face - actually have nothing to do with age or liver but are induced by exposure to the sun. Brown spots appear when the pigment in the skin is concentrated. Who gets them? People with fair skin who have been exposed to the sun start to see age spots in their 40s. Do they come with any health risks? Not if they are evenly colored. However, if you see pigment that is black or more than two shades of Noun 1. shades of - something that reminds you of someone or something; "aren't there shades of 1948 here?" reminder - an experience that causes you to remember something brown, it is not an age spot. It could be melanoma that is cancerous. What can be done to get rid of age spots? There are three treatments: a prescription bleaching cream, a liquid nitrogen Noun 1. liquid nitrogen - nitrogen in a liquid state atomic number 7, N, nitrogen - a common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78 percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all living spray that makes them removable in a few weeks, and a new laser treatment that disintegrates the coloring. Over-the-counter products are not effective. Can age spots be prevented? Use sunscreen sunscreen /sun·screen/ (-skren) a substance applied to the skin to protect it from the effects of the sun's rays. sun·screen n. with a sun protection factor sun protection factor n. Abbr. SPF The ratio of the minimal ultraviolet dose required to produce erythema with and without a sunscreen; a measure of the degree to which a sunscreen protects the skin from ultraviolet radiation, the higher of 15 or greater. If possible, wear gloves when you drive. |
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