The spots in the areas of the body most exposed to the sun – face, neck, décolleté and back of the hands – are a sign of aging. How to avoid them?
Many people would like to have a baby’s skin soft, smooth, homogeneous in texture and color. But the reality is that the passage of time and the effects of the sun deteriorate it, sometimes in a remarkable, definitive and even dangerous way. Hence, it is important to take care of it and protect it.
A sun exposure leads to wrinkles, dryness and spots that often appear in the most exposed areas: face, neck, back of the hands and upper back and shoulders.
Although exposure to the sun is necessary, its cumulative effect must always be taken into account: the total time spent in the sun and its intensity.
It is important to be prudent with the sun and remember that we all have a different solar capital: once it is used up, spots appear, which betray age.
NEITHER FRECKLES NOR MOLES: WHAT IS SOLAR LENTIGO?
Solar lentigos are brown, flat spots with irregular edges.
They can appear on all skin types, but people with fair complexions and light eyes are usually more prone to developing them.
Some medications with photosensitizing effects, as well as certain perfumes, increase the chances that they will appear after exposure to the sun.
As Paz Cerdá Escar, member of the Spanish Association of Dermatology, explains, the spots on the skin caused by the sun, called solar lentigines, “are produced by hyperpigmentation of the cells of the epidermis, the upper part of the skin, due to an increase in melanin due to overexposure to sunlight “.
Freckles or moles, on the other hand, are from birth. Other freckles, called ephelides, appear after sunbathing but disappear. If sun exposure continues, they can become lentigos, which only disappear with external treatments.
If the spots are not malignant, there is no reason to remove them, but if they are diagnosed as melanomas or carcinomas, the intervention of a doctor is necessary.
CHLOASMAS AND MELASMAS: THE “VEIL” OF PREGNANT WOMEN
Pregnant women and those receiving hormonal treatment, as well as those taking the pill or taking hormone replacement therapy, may see spots similar to those associated with old age appear on their skin.
These spots, explains Cerdá, are called chloasmas or melasmas and constitute a hyperpigmentation of skin cells as a result of sun exposure aggravated by three hormones: estrogen, progesterone and the MSH hormone.
Chloasma usually improves or even disappears at the end of pregnancy or hormonal treatment, although some of the spots, which generally appear on the cheekbones, nose and around the upper lip, may end up being permanent.
White but easily tanned skin is more prone to chloasmas.
PREVENT SPOTS ON THE SKIN
Although there are some treatments to eliminate or improve the appearance of age and sun spots and even chloasmas, and some are attenuated when you stop exposing yourself to the sun, it is best to prevent their appearance.
The protective creams Solar physical or chemical, the clothing protector, the caution to spending time at the sun and a balanced diet rich in foods with beta carotene and other antioxidants are the best way to make the skin stay strong, young and healthy.
For day to day, it is advisable to use protective creams on areas exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck and hands. If you prefer, you can use a makeup base with a sun protection factor on the face, but taking into account that the friction when touching the face or greeting ends up taking away that superficial makeup.
- Daily. Use an appropriate protection factor every day for the time of year, your skin type and the time you spend in the sun. During pregnancy, or if hormonal treatment is followed, it is advisable to use high factor sun protection.
- Good habits. During the strongest hours of sun, stay in the shade. Wear protective clothing and creams in the mountains and do not spend all day at the beach or pool.
- Watch out for the reflection. If you go by boat or lie near a pool or by the sea, remember that the sun’s rays multiply when they reflect off reflective surfaces such as water or sand. Be wary of cloudy skies.
- After the sun. Do not forget to hydrate yourself well inside and out if you have been in the sun. Drink water and use aloe vera lotions. Avoid tanning beds. They are not free to produce aging effects.
HOW TO REMOVE SKIN BLEMISHES?
The depigmentation creams with hydroquinone can reduce the appearance of spots. However, “not all of them can be removed in this way – says Cerdá – and some people may notice that the skin around the spot is also paler than the rest of the face due to the same whitening effect.”
Treatments such as cryotherapy, which freezes the lesion to remove it, or laser, can successfully remove the spots, but they must always be carried out by an expert dermatologist.
