is there such a thing as meaningful beauty: AGE SPOTS AND SKIN TAGS

Ask Suzy Cohen
By Suzy Cohen, R.Ph., Lifescript Pharmacist
Published April 23, 2011

Dear Suzy Cohen,
I used to have beautiful skin. Now as I get older I notice more and more age spots. My questions: How to get rid of age spots and stop more from forming? Why do some people get skin tags as they age?

-K.S. Lodi, California

Hi K.S.
Fortunately, skin tags and age spots are benign. A visit to your dermatologist is the quickest and easiest way to eliminate either problem.

In just one or two visits your doctor can snip or freeze away most skin tags and literally erase age spots with a laser beam. Snip, zap and your skin is clear. These are minor procedures and not too expensive.

Age spots, the discolorations that appear mostly on hands and face as we age, are pigment deposits resulting from a lifetime of sun exposure. These pesky little spots are nature’s way of saying that you’ve overdone it.

Over-the-counter bleaching creams with either hydroquinone or kojic acid aren’t going to perform any miracles, but they aren’t harmful either. They help lighten the appearance of age spots. They take time and their effect is mild. Follow label directions and discontinue use if they irritate your skin.

Some people have reported success with an old-fashioned treatment for age spots – castor oil. Simply rub the oil on the spots a couple times a day for several weeks and see if it helps to fade them. I like this remedy because the oil-derived from the castor bean is kind to many skin conditions.

Skin tags, those unsightly little tabs that appear mainly on face, hands, and chest seem to arise more frequently during middle age and in those who are overweight. Almost half the adult population seems to have at least a few.

One dermatologist-approved technique to remove larger skin tags is to gently tie them off with string or dental floss. Apparently, they drop off in a couple of days.

Please don’t attempt this for tags in awkward locations, like the eyelids. Better yet, ask your dermatologist if this home remedy is OK.

Until now, medical science believed that skin tags happen when sensitive skin is rubbed or irritated. But in 2010, Brazilian researchers found that multiple skin tags are “strongly associated” with insulin resistance, a condition that foreshadows the development of diabetes. Your doctor can test you for this condition.

Want to know more? Get your own copy of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Drug Muggers: How To Keep Your Medicine From Stealing the Life Out of You!

MY THOUGHTS

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