By the time women reach middle age, most begin to see age spots on their face or hands. While these irregular, dark brown patches are not harmful, they are certainly unwelcome in those wishing to retain a youthful appearance. Despite their name and the timing of their arrival, however, age spots are not caused by aging. Instead, an accumulation of exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays over the years stimulates the skin to produce melanin, causing the darker, spotty areas. Luckily, many skin care products aid in removing age spots naturally, instead of using harsh chemicals.

Brightening Cleansers

Skin brightening cleansers can enhance results from other treatments used for age spots (hyperpigmentation) by brightening skin tone and supporting other bleaching topicals. These cleansers help to suppress the production of melanin, which causes the brown patches on the skin. Many will contain kojic acid, cranberry extract, and Vitamin B5.

Brightening Gels and Creams

Natural pigment creams brighten the skin and suppress melanin production. Many times, they also help with exfoliation and skin regeneration. Many contain L-lactic acid, which increases skin cell renewal, and natural plant brighteners. Some will contain kojic acid as well as acids from milk fats, which inhibit tyrosinase activity, a key determinant of melanin production. Brightening gels are typically used in the evening and are dabbed on the dark spots themselves, helping to lighten them. Their ingredients may include daisy flower, L-arbutin, licorice root, glycolic acid, kojic acid, and azelaic acid. Besides brightening, these gels also exfoliate and inhibit the production of melanin.

Brightening Enzymes

Brightening enzymes containing pineapple extract, papain, kojic, L-arbutin, azelaic, and other natural acids dissolve unwanted skin cells, brightening the skin and suppressing the production of melanin. Enzymes are routinely used one to three times a week, depending on the skin's sensitivity and thickness. When used in conjunction with skin brightening cleansers and scrubs, its effectiveness is magnified.

Chemical Peels

Finally, for the most dramatic results, chemical peels may be used to lighten age spots. Peels remove the layer of dead skin cells from the surface and result in an improvement of tone and texture. They may be helpful with skin that is sun damaged or suffering from hyperpigmentation and photo aging. Because age spots are in the upper layer of skin, these peels can lighten dark spots. However, several treatments may be necessary to completely remove them. Sunscreen must be worn after peels to prevent the new skin from burning and to keep new spots from appearing.

Age spots, while not dangerous to your health, certainly detract from the youthful, fresh appearance that most people today are interested in attaining. In the past, the only solution was to cover them with layers of makeup. We all know that using large amounts of makeup to cover age spots is not an ideal solution: it's like solving one problem while creating another at the same time.

Today, however, many natural treatments are geared specifically for their removal, and many women find they work very well to lighten and erase these unsightly brown patches.