"Age Spots - 15 Remedies That Can Help Remove Them"

Blemishes on your skin can have a major effect on your self-esteem, and can undermine your overall self-confidence. But the good news is there are things you can do that can improve the appearance of your skin. Here is a list of 20 of them.

Melanin is the dark pigment in the skin that gives it its normal color. After prolonged exposure to the sun, your body produces extra melanin, which protects your deeper layers of skin, giving you a tanned look.

Age spots develop when the extra melanin becomes grouped together, or is produced in larger quantities than normal.

However, age does play a part in the development of sunspots as we become older, there is a substantial decrease in the production of newer skin cells and collagen.

Collagen is a naturally occurring protein found in the second layer of skin, the dermis.

If the thought of removing age spots by laser resurfacing leaves you cold, there are some natural remedies that can help. Here's a list of 15 you can try.

Aloe Vera gel - Try rubbing fresh aloe vera juice or gel on the spots twice a day for several months. This should help to fade them. It is also an excellent treatment for sunburns.

Apple Cider Vinegar - Take 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with 1 teaspoon of orange juice and apply to the affected areas. Alternatively, mix 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, let sit for approximately 10 minutes, and apply to the skin, leaving it on for around 15 minutes. Wash your face with lukewarm water.

Bilberry - The herb bilberry contains lots of antioxidants and tends to slow the aging process. Eat 4-8 ounces of fresh berries or 80 to 160 mg of bilberry extract daily.

Brazil nuts - Try eating 2-3 Brazil nuts each day. They have lots of selenium, which is needed for healthy skin.

Buttermilk - Try dabbing a little bit of buttermilk on your spots. Buttermilk contains lactic acid and other ingredients thought to be beneficial to the skin.

Castor Oil - Try rubbing some castor oil on the spots each morning and evening. Rub it gently into your skin, and your spots should disappear within one month.

Dandelion - Break open the stem of a dandelion and rub this sap on the affected areas 2-3 times each day. Incidentally, this may be good for warts too.

Garbanzo beans - Try some fresh or canned chickpeas, add a little water to 1/3 cup of them, mash it until it is a paste-like consistency, and smear this paste onto your spots until it dries.

Garlic - Not only is eating garlic good for the skin, but applying a paste to the skin made from garlic will help also.

Gotu Kola - The herb gotu kola may help to prevent age spots, as it stimulates the growth of new, healthy cells, in addition to producing extra collagen.

Honey and Yogurt - A mixture of honey and yogurt makes a natural bleach that can help to lighten sunspots. Add to 1 teaspoon of plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon of honey and mix thoroughly. Apply this mixture to your face, let dry, then rinse after 30 minutes. Doing this daily should remove those spots naturally.

Lemon Juice - Rub some fresh lemon juice on your spots two times a day. As it is highly acidic, it will help to peel off the extra layers of skin. Do this twice daily.

Licorice and Glycolic Acid - Licorice and Gycolic Acid is a solution that, although hard to find, works wonderfully for removing age spots. Glycolic acid gently exfoliates the outer layer of the skin, while the Licorice bleaches the spot.

Onion juice and Vinegar - Take one teaspoonful of onion juice, mix with 2 teaspoons of vinegar and rub this mixture into your spots. Do this a couple of times daily until the spots are gone.

Vitamin E - Eat foods that are rich in vitamin E. as vitamin E slows the aging process and helps to repair damaged skin tissues. Nuts are a good source of vitamin E.