Get rid of age spots with these home remedies

You can lighten and eliminate age spots using natural care products — but these treatments require plenty of patience. Here are time-tested formulas to prevent age spots and alleviate them if they do show up.

Age spots usually appear on the back of your hands, but can also show up on your arms and face. These unsightly brown splotches, sometimes referred to as "liver spots," should really be called "sun spots" — they're actually the result of too much sun exposure.

Before looking at treatment, look at how to avoid age spots altogether.

• Free radicals contribute to the occurrence of age spots. Since their development is aided and abetted by ultraviolet radiation, you should avoid intensive sunbathing.
• Avoid alcohol and nicotine — they encourage the formation of free radicals.
• A well-balanced diet provides your body with "radical catchers" such as vitamin C and pro-vitamin A (in fruits and vegetables), vitamin E (in plant oils and grains) and selenium (in nuts, legumes, and grains).

It's possible to conceal age spots with makeup and there are also costly medical procedures, such as laser removal, that give more lasting results. But home remedies are still worth a try, especially because they're low cost and low risk. Start by testing them out on less noticeable places, like your hands, before using them on your face.

• Try applying pure lemon juice on age spots twice a day. Or, apply buttermilk instead.
• An easy-to-make and easy-to-use paste to lighten age spots can be made by mixing 10 grams (1/3 ounce) each of powdered ginger and rose petals with about 80 grams (three ounces) of powdered cleaver (from a health food store). Stir 10 millilitres (two teaspoons) of the mix into a small amount of warm water to make a spreadable paste. Apply to the spots, cover with a cloth and leave for about 30 minutes before thoroughly rinsing your skin clean.
• Make a natural bleaching agent by mixing together about five millilitres (one teaspoon) each of honey and plain yogurt. Spread the mix on your age spots once a day and leave for 30 minutes before rinsing well.
• Other simple solutions include rubbing age spots several times a day with a piece of papaya or using gels containing aloe vera (from a pharmacy). They can be helpful because they contain substances that stimulate the growth of healthy cells.

Make your own treatment with just three simple ingredients. This daily regimen, when repeated over the course of a few weeks, may even help remove age spots altogether.

You will need:

• 1 egg white
• 10 ml (2 tsp) lemon juice
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) vitamin E oil

What to do: 

1. Beat ingredients together.
2. Spread on age spots and let work for 20 minutes.
3. Rinse thoroughly.