Preventing Age Spots

Getting older doesn't necessarily cause age spots. Too much exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun is more likely to cause these unattractive blotches, than maturity. This is why age spots are also called sun spots. Other factors that make you more susceptible to age spots (no matter what your age is) are smoking, a diet high in refined sugars and fats, a lack of vitamins, and over consumption of poor quality saturated oils. Age spots occur when our skin produces too much lipofuscin. Lipofuscinis is a dark substance that colors our skin pigment. Unsightly age spots can begin appearing as early as the late twenties but are most common after the age 55 (thus the name.)

Age spots are also known as liver spots. Other nicknames for age spots are brown spots, lentigo and sun spots. The name sun spot nickname of course comes from the fact that the skin darkens as the result of too much frolicking outside in the summer.

As is the case with most skin conditions age spots are much simpler to prevent than to cure. Your diet has a lot to do with reducing your chances of developing this unsightly condition. Eating a diet rich in orange vegetables (carrot and yams) and green leafy vegetables (collard greens and watercress) may help reduce your chances of developing these spots as you age. These foods are rich in antioxidants that help fight off damaging free radicals that are created as the result of too much exposure to the sun. They are also foods that are rich in Vitamin A and carotene, which also helps keep your skin in tiptop condition and more resistant to ultraviolet rays.

If you already have already developed age spots the good news is that there are some ways to diminish the way they look. There are several products on the market today that can fade them so they are less noticeable. The active ingredient in these over the counter products that is a chemical called hydroquinone. Hydroquinone is a mild bleaching agent that helps lighten the appearance of all kinds of dark skin discolorations including age spots, scars and freckles. Some prescription versions of this scream also contain topical vitamin A, which can also help fade the look of obnoxious age spots.

If your age spots are particularly unattractive or forming in an undesirable place where they are too obvious (such as on the face) there are some slightly more invasive ways to cosmetically treat the problem. One of the most popular cosmetic treatments for age spots is a chemical peel. These peels contain anywhere from 70% to 80 % glycolic acid and remove layers of skin to reduce the appearance of the spots.

Yet another option is laser resurfacing. In this procedure the age spots are literally burned away using a sophisticated, targeted laser. However this treatment only works well on very white skin with very dark age spots. This is because laser treatments need a contrast of colors (black on white) to do their job well. Darker age spots on dark skin do not respond well at all to these treatments. If the age spot is lighter, purple or an odd color laser resurfacing may also not succeed in removing it. Black or dark brown age spots on fair skin respond the best to this treatment.

Although most age spots are harmless blotches, the early stages of skin cancer can masquerade as innocent looking dark spots. Your physician or a dermatologist should check any spot that enlarges, thickens, changes color, itches or bleeds. Irregularly shaped dark spots that change in color or increase in size could be the early warning sign of serious skin cancers.

One cost effective and natural way to reduce age spots is to simply keep out of the sun and wear long sleeved shirts. You should always take precautions to protect all of your exposed skin if you know you are going to be in a place where there is likely to be a lot of ultraviolet light. Make sure that you always wear sunscreen when you are out during a sunny day. Limiting your intake of alcohol can also discourage a propensity towards developing the unattractive skin discolorations.

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Cheap International Air Fare Secrets

If visiting an exotic foreign land has always been something you've dreamed about but outrageous airline prices keep you taking that once in a life time vacation then maybe this article can help. With all the planning involved with such a vacation spending more then you want to on air fare can add unneeded stress to such a trip. If you could just find an airline offering cheap international air fare all your problems would be solved.

The thing that you should always be aware of is that airline ticket prices will change daily so when you find that price point you are comfortable with you need to make the purchase because it may not be available the next day. By researching your destination and the airlines that serve it you can usually gather enough information to begin your search for cheap tickets.

By maximizing your efforts to get as many price quotes as you can chances of finding a good deal are increased. The airline and travel industry is very interested in competing for your travel dollars so one of the best ways to find discounts is comparing what the individual airlines have to offer. Sometimes just simply calling them on the phone and asking what kind of ticket discounts they are offering can pay big dividends. airlines run specials all the time but they aren't always well advertised.

Try to find out when the slow part of the tourist season is where you would like to travel and consider going during this time. international air fares are usually cheaper during these off-peak times because the demand for seats isn\'t as great. This is where researching your destination to learn the seasonal tourist flow can pay off.

Knowing when to buy tickets also works into the savings equation. You want to make your reservations far enough in advance to take advantage of early booking savings, but not so early that the airlines are still charging the premium price. Somewhere between four months to 14 days before a flight is the best time to reserve a seat. Anything over 4 months and chances of any savings are basically nothing. Once you hit the 21 to 14 days before a flight is scheduled the airlines start raising prices because they know that people who buy ticket now are normally last minute and business travelers who have little choice when it comes to what they will pay.

Learning the secrets to finding cheap international air fare for your next trip or vacation takes a little research and patience, but as you learn the ways of the travel industry you will soon find yourself able to save yourself some money that could be put to better use once you get to your destination.

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