Sunspot on Skin: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention

Skin is the largest and most visible organ, so most of us would agree that taking care of our skin correctly is extremely important. People all over the world spends a lot on skincare. This includes spa treatments, topical creams, and Botox etc. The most commonly treated skin condition is sunspot. These are permanent darkened brown spots that are harmless but can be lightened if you don’t like their appearance.

Here’s a look at what sunspots is, what causes them, and how you can treat and remove them.

Sunspot on Skin

Sunspots are flat, brown pigment changes on the skin that show up in response to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. UV radiation causes melanin to accumulate in the skin cells, leading to darkening of the skin. Melanin is a component found in your body that causes pigmentation or coloration in your hair, eyes, and skin. The more melanin your body produces, the darker your skin will be.

Appearance & Visual Expression

Sunspots can vary in size, and occur mostly in aged skin as an effect of long years of sun exposure. These spots are just a way of telling that the skin has seen years’ worth of sun. Sunspots are usu­al­ly iden­ti­fied by these characteristics:

• Smooth to the touch

• Not raised or flat on the skin

• Appear on areas of skin that have had pro­longed sun expo­sure like the hands, arms and face, but they can also appear on your back, chest, arms, feet, and shoulders.

Sunspots can happen to anyone, but they are more common in people with a fair skin tone or red hair and people over the age of 40. Visually sunspots are flat, oval areas of increased pigmentation and usually tan to dark brown.

Causes of Sunspots

Sun, more specifically, the UV rays of the sun is the culprit behind sunspots on the skin.

Skin that stays in the sun frequently and without any protection gets exposed to harmful UV rays. As UV rays cause skin damage, your body system produces a large amount of melanin to protect the skin. The melanin component in the damaged skin cells causes the cells to look like dark brown spots called sunspots.

Frequent UV exposure, including tanning beds and a history of bad sunburns, are risk factors for developing sunspots. Genetics may also play a role. If you have a family history of sunspots, you’re more likely to get them as well.

Sunspots: Effects and Affects

Sunspots are harmless. They aren’t skin cancer and can’t become skin cancer. But the same chronic UV light exposure that can cause sunspots over time can also increase your risk of developing skin cancer in other areas of your skin. Sun exposure affects the skin in lots of ways, including:

• Wrinkles

• Skin sagging

• Melasma

• Moles

Some of these changes to our skin are inevitable with our natural ageing process, but excess UV rays can accelerate them.

However, early symptoms of skin cancer called melanoma can also look like sunspots. Since telling the difference between a harmful skin spot and a non-threatening sunspot can be difficult, it’s better to consult with a doctor as soon as you see these spots on your skin.

Sunspots: Precaution and Prevention

The only way to prevent the appearance of sunspots is to limit your exposure to ultraviolet light. This means that you should:

• Limit your exposure to the sun

Everybody needs some sun exposure to produce vitamin D. But unprotected exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause damage to the skin, eyes, and immune system. It can also cause cancer. Stay out of the sun’s rays as much as possible or wear a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and other protective clothing, even if you’re only out for a short period.

• Wear a broad-spectrum Sunscreen every day

To maintain sun-protected skin, sunscreen or sunblock is a must. Make a moisturizer with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 to 30 a part of your daily routine. You can use a synthetic sunscreen or mineral sunscreen.

Synthetic Sunscreens absorb the sun’s UV rays and scatter them through a reaction. Common synthetic sunscreen ingredients include oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, and avobenzone.

On the other hand, mineral sunscreen physically blocks the UV rays from penetrating the skin. Mineral sunscreens that contain only mineral ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the best option if you have sensitive skin. It is safe for the babies too.

To protect your skin from sunspots and others ensure that you use a product with a balanced SPF that offers a broad spectrum of UVA/UVB protection. Professionals recommends to use a sunscreen with a moderate SPF (say, SPF 30) frequently and in a thick layer rather than using a highly concentrated sunscreen thinly and less often.

• Skip the tanning bed

Many people believe that using a tanning bed to get a base tan will prevent sunburn. Absolute myth. If you have a base tan, you can still burn. Tanning beds damage your skin and accelerate the signs of aging. Indoor tanning can increase the risk of developing skin cancer.

Treatment for Sunspots

Sunspots are not dangerous to your health unless it’s linked to skin cancer. So, after ensuring that the spots on your skin are in fact sunspots, you can either leave them or treat them. We can treat them with natural remedies or topical creams or by professional treatments.

 At-home treatment

The following are some at-home treatments that may help fade or remove sunspots:

• Aloe vera: Aloesin and aloin, which are active compounds found in aloe vera plants, can lighten sunspots and other hyperpigmentation.

• Licorice extract: Some of the active ingredients in licorice extract may help lighten sunspots and other skin discoloration caused by sun exposure, such as melasma.

• Apple cider vinegar: Acetic acid, which is found in apple cider vinegar, may help lighten skin pigmentation and improve the overall appearance of your skin.

• Buttermilk: The lactic acid in buttermilk may help lighten sunspots when applied to the skin.

• Honey: It is believed to promote new cell growth and may help fade sunspots when applied to the skin.

Topical creams

There are several creams available over-the-counter that can be applied at home to fade sunspots. The key ingredients of those creams are-

• Glycolic acid: Glycolic Acid is the absolute gold standard ingredient for sun-spot reduction. This safe and highly effective, naturally occurring acid, works to gently and safely remove old skin, effectively acting as a gentle, active, exfoliation tool.

• Kojic acid: Kojic acid blocks UV-activation of tyrosinase, thereby limiting the production of melanin and help lighten existing sunspots.

• Hydroxy acid: Creams containing Alpha hydroxy acids can exfoliate the uppermost layers of skin. Doing so reveals fresher, refined skin that appears much smoother, is more hydrated, and, over time, becomes visibly firmer.

• Applying vitamin C topically is also an effective way to lighten various dark spots caused by the sun.
• Even topical vitamin E oil helps to protect your skin against sun damage and lighten sunspots.

Professional treatment

• Intense pulse light (IPL): IPL removes sunspots by heating and destroying melanin with pulses of light energy.

• Laser resurfacing: In laser skin resurfacing, a wand-like device delivers beams of light to the layers of your skin until the sunspots are no longer visible, allowing new skin to grow in its place

• Chemical peels: An acid solution applied to sunspots causes the skin to eventually peel away so that new skin can grow. Chemical peels may cause a burning sensation that lasts a few minutes and can be painful.

Sunspots don’t require any treatment and true sunspots are noncancerous and cannot become cancerous. They can be removed for cosmetic reasons, but leaving them doesn’t pose any risks to your health. Though treatments are generally safe, some may cause temporary discomfort and redness. Speak to your doctor about the possible risks associated with each treatment.