Natural Ways to Remove Age Spots & Moles
Age spots, also called liver spots, are flat, pigmented marks on your skin, similar to, but larger than, freckles. They become more common after decades of sun exposure. Though harmless and painless, they can be cosmetic concerns.
Age spots, also called liver spots, are flat, pigmented marks on your skin, similar to, but larger than, freckles. They become more common after decades of sun exposure. Though harmless and painless, they can be cosmetic concerns.
Moles are pigmented skin growths raised above the surrounding skin. Show moles to your doctor before attempting to remove them at home. According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, some moles can be cancerous growths, or melanomas.
The high cost of medical removal invites some people to turn to home remedies.
Block the Sun
According to a 2010 report by MedLine Plus, when you block the sun from your skin, you will lighten age spots while preventing new ones. Block sunlight from some kinds of moles to safeguard them from converting to precancerous or cancerous growths and maybe also lighten them.
Wear hats, long pants or skirts, and long-sleeved shirts outdoors. Stay indoors when the sun is most intense, which is within a few hours of high noon. Use sun-block creams with a sun protection factor, or SPF, of 30 or higher. Apply sunscreen a half hour before expected sun exposure, and reapply it frequently. Use sunscreen for snow sports or shoveling--winter sun can be very intense.
Citrus
Various citrus blends can lighten or remove age spots, according to natural skin care specialists at Purefect-Your-Skin. The simplest way to use citrus on your skin is to apply a cut lemon to the spots you want to lighten two times a day for five minutes, then rinse.
Another remedy calls for 1 tsp. orange juice, 1 tsp. lime juice and 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar. Apply for five minutes two times a day and rinse.
Natural Home Remedies reports that this method also removes moles. Use it until you achieve the desired degree of lightening.
Onion and Garlic
Purefect-Your-Skin specialists report that red onion and garlic lighten age spots in the same way citrus preparations do. Application is also similar: rub cut red onion or crushed garlic cloves on your age spots, leave in place for five minutes, and then rinse. Red onion and garlic can also be mixed together with lemon juice for a similar application. Skin care specialists at Natural Home Remedies say this also removes moles. Beauticians at Free Beauty Tips suggest following these applications with skin lotion to prevent irritation and drying.
Mole Removal
Coriander or cumin seeds can be crushed into a poultice under a bandage and renewed daily. This regimen will remove the mole in a few weeks. Specialists at Natural Home Remedies recommend applying either coriander or cumin seeds to remove moles. These remedies do not treat age spots, however.
Cautions
Skin care specialists at Purefect Your Skin warn against home remedies or commercial skin-bleaching products containing hydroquinone. Japan, England and other countries have banned their use. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration published research in 1996 showing that hydroquinone causes organ and blood cancers in rats and deemed these products unsafe for human use.