Liver spots are small brown spots that are common after the age of forty. Many people associate these spots with liver disease, but fortunately they have nothing to do with it. Also known as age spots or solar lentigo, they are harmless spots on the skin’s surface.
They can appear on any part of the skin, but prominently they are observed on exposed areas of the body such as the hands, arms and face. Liver spots on legs appear among those who frequently keep their legs exposed to UV rays of the sun, especially those who keep the legs uncovered for long duration during the heat of summer.
These harmless spots are in fact hyper-pigmented lesions. They are flat, round or oval painless tiny spots. Many people live with liver spots without any trouble throughout their life, but there are others who may find them unsightly. Several natural remedies can lighten age spots aside from regular treatments such as laser therapy etc.
What Causes Liver Spots On Legs?
Although people feel still young, forties is considered as a transitional phase where everything is declining; health, fertility and not to forget changes on the skin such as wrinkling etc. Liver spots or solar lentigo is most common among people after the age of forty.
This harmless brown spots are attributed to over exposure to sun rays for many years. It develops when melanin pigments clump together in certain spots of the skin. Melanin is a pigment which gives color to the skin. Pigment production is increased when the skin is exposed to sunlight for a long time. Liver spots are prone to develop on the legs, arms, hands as many people keep them uncovered during the summer season.
Aside from over exposure to sunlight, age spots also develop among people who spend a lot of time in tanning beds. Tanning beds produce lesser amount of ultraviolet rays as compared to sunlight. However, it is still enough to produce increased melanin pigments which can cluster together to form liver spots.
People with lighter skin shade are more prone to develop liver spots as compared to those having darker skin. It may be contributed to genetic predisposition. The brown spots can pop up in inner as well as outer side of thighs, around the groin, ankles and on the lower leg.
Natural Remedies To Get Rid Of Liver Spots On Legs
Liver spots do not require any treatment as they are harmless spots. However, many people feel agonized of having them on their body because of their unsightly appearance. For these people, there are several ways to get rid of them completely or at least fade them and make them less visible. Here are some of the ways that can be employed to remove age spots.
- Laser skin surfacing: Laser has become a popular choice. Laser treatment helps to remove the spots without causing any untoward skin damage. Keep the area well moisturized to allow smooth and quicker healing. Although the result is immediate, it may take 3 to 6 months for complete removal of the spots.
- Microdermabrasion is another choice for removal of age spots. It rejuvenates the skin and diminishes the dark spots on skin’s surface. The result is more rewarding if the technique is used in conjunction with other methods such as chemical peeling.
There are few natural home remedies for those who do not want to undergo expensive procedures:
- Apply sunscreen lotion on the leg or keep the area covered by wearing full pants. It prevents oxidizing radicals produced by exposure to sunlight which are known to darken the pigmentation.
- Eat a healthy diet comprising of vitamins and various essential nutrients. Eat vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C is food for the skin. It helps to lessen the dark pigmentation and make them less visible.
- Apply buttermilk over the brown spots present on your leg. Lactic acid present in buttermilk will gradually exfoliate the dark area and prevent dryness of skin. Apply it for 15 minutes before you take bath. Rinse the area while bathing.
- Castor oil and vitamin E is an effective natural combination for getting rid of liver spots present on legs. Break one capsule of vitamin E and pour the content in one or two teaspoons of castor oil. Massage the mixed content over the solar lentigo. Within a few days of its application, the spots begin to fade.