Recently, I was evaluating the ingredients in an inexpensive age spot remover. I became interested because it was advertised as a hydroquinone-free solution. It turned out that there was nothing of proven benefit in the product and it contained many hazardous ingredients. Yet, it was supposedly recommended by dermatologists.

Consumers need to learn how to protect themselves when they are buying skincare products. Terms like "dermatologist recommended" are not regulated. Any company can make the claim, whether they have or have not consulted with a dermatologist. If a dermatologist allows a company to use his or her name, you can bet that they are being paid to endorse the product. Trusting paid endorsements is a mistake.

The inexpensive age spot remover that I mentioned contained an ingredient that has only been tested by the manufacturers own laboratory. There are no independent studies to support the company's claims.

Supposedly, a chemical called undecylenoyl phenylalanine inhibits melanin stimulating hormone. Basically, undecylenoyl phenylalanine is a compound that contains castor oil and phenylalanine, an amino acid. While castor oil is a nourishing ingredient, due to the fatty acids it contains, there is no reason to believe that phenylalanine would provide any benefit to the skin's health. There is also no reason to believe it would inhibit melanin stimulating hormone.

Melanin stimulating hormone is released within the body. So, production could only be inhibited by something that was introduced into the body, not applied to it. It is possible to inhibit melanin production, with creams that are applied directly, without using an age spot remover that contains the hazardous, but expensive, hydroquinone. The ingredient to look for is an extract from the cyperus rotundus plant. One proprietary name for the extract is EXTRAPONE. It is a highly effective ingredient that has been shown to reduce pigmentation in as little as two weeks, but most people really don't need it.

What everyone really needs to do is avoid exposure to the sun and use a nourishing night cream that contains Shea butter, coenzyme Q10 and Functional Keratin. I should say; that is what anyone that wants to look younger needs to do.

Think of these spots as sun damage. Damage that is done during the day is repaired at night. As we get older, the reparation processes slow down, but those three ingredients have been shown in numerous studies to stimulate the reparation, in several ways.

Shea butter has long been recommended as an age spot remover. It works in four to six weeks. In recent independent studies, coenzyme Q10 was found to reduce sun damage by over 30% after six weeks of use. Functional keratin is a basic protein that makes up over 90% of the skin's cells. It has been shown to stimulate the production of replacement cells by as much as 160% in as little as three days.

The regular use of these ingredients will reduce wrinkles and increase firmness. Those are things that no age spot remover can do. Why not do more for your skin's health and appearance? All that you need to do is look for the right ingredients.