Top Ten Products to Remove Age Spots
As your skin ages and the sun takes its toll, harmless age spots -- also known as liver spots or skin spots -- often appear on the face, hands, arms and shoulders.
As your skin ages and the sun takes its toll, harmless age spots -- also known as liver spots or skin spots -- often appear on the face, hands, arms and shoulders. While you can help prevent age spots with plenty of UV protection or turn to expensive cryotherapy or laser treatments to remove them, over-the-counter spot-fading products offer a convenient anti-aging solution. The ultimate title of top product ultimately depends on your personal results, but major beauty publications bring 10 of their recommendations to the table to give you a head start.
A Meaningful Model
The supermodel-endorsed Meaningful Beauty Cindy Crawford Skin Brightening Treatment makes "Elle" magazine's "lust list" for its ability to reduce the appearance of age spots with natural antioxidants and protect the skin from further spotting via SPF 15 protection.
Healing Hydroquinone
Dr. Ellen Marmur of Mount Sinai Medical Center touts the fading effects of hydroquinone, the only FDA-approved ingredient for lightening skin pigment. The duo recommends La Roche-Posay Mela-D Skin Lightening Daily Lotion for its 2-percent hydroquinone content.
Luminous Lightening
According to "The Daily Mail," No 7's Lift and Luminate Dark Spot Corrector, which relies on ingredients such as vitamin C, kiwi and sophora root extract, fades spots by up to 60 percent after three months of consistent use.
Anti-Aging Aveeno
Available at an affordable price, Aveeno Clear Complexion BB Cream makes "Allure" magazine's list of "The Best Drugstore Anti-aging Products." The site touts the cream's ability to cover imperfections, lend the skin an instant glow and fade spots within a month's time.
In Praise of Pods
DDF Discoloration Reversal Pods, which feature a sponge-like applicator tip, come recommended by "Elle" for their at-home buffing action. This product packs plentiful antioxidants to help ease age spots and brighten the complexion.
The Great Glycolic Acid
Speaking to "Good Housekeeping," dermatologist Dr. Audrey G. Kunin recommends C. Booth Glycolic Acid Skin Resurfacing Solution. The glycolic acid serves as an exfoliator that sloughs off dead, darkened skin cells to encourage the growth of unpigmented new skin.
Multi-Tasking Treatment
"The Daily Mail" champions Avon Anew Absolute Even DSX-7, a mid-to-low priced anti-aging option, for its multi-tasking ability. This cream targets many different types of hyperpigmentation, including age spots, blemishes, blotches, freckles and uneven or sallow skin tones.
Affordable Ambi
Among the many hydroquinone-based spot-fading products, "Allure" praises budget-priced Ambi Fade Cream. The publication rewards this item a "Best of Beauty" title and says it makes a noticeable difference in about two months of regular application.
Lighten With Lancome
Although a bit pricier than other options, "Elle" suggests Bright Expert from Lancome. This cream uses yeast to fade discoloration and leave the skin with a luminous glow. According to Lancome, it only takes four weeks to start seeing results.
Critically Acclaimed Clinique
Botanical extracts make up the foundation of Clinique's Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector brightening complex. In the battle to banish age spots, "The Daily Mail" dubs this product "impressive" and "well-proven."