Category Archives: Anti-Aging Medicine

Gwyneth Paltrow gets a vampire facial in the fourth episode of Goop Lab.

Netflix's The Goop Lab follows Gwyneth Paltrow and the team that runs her wellness brand, Goop, as they experience various alternative wellness practices, from meeting with a psychic to taking aworkshop about how to orgasm. In The Goop Lab's fourth episode, The Health Span Plan, Paltrow, chief content officer Elise Loehnan and Goop's marketing VP Wendy Lauria explore the societal obsession with antiaging and the often expensive lengths many go to avoid it.

In their quest for eternal youth, members of the Goop staff try several different diets reported to reduce the risk of age-related disease, including fasting, veganism and pescatarianism. Paltrow and her team also set out on a quest to find "more natural" alternatives to plastic surgery and fillers, like facials and acupuncture.

Aging is one of many things that medicine can't stop, so that raises the question: Is there any validity to these diets and treatments? Can you really slow down the aging process with food? That's what The Goop Lab sets out to determine and the results are, surprisingly, somewhat valid.

The Health Span Plan episode explores diets and skincare treatments that claim to have antiaging benefits.

The Goop team chats with Valter Longo, the director of the University of Southern California's Longevity Institute, about the practice of fasting and how it can have positive effects on health. He promotes his fasting mimicking diet in the episode (for which he has a book and a $250 diet kit that Paltrow tries). Notably, the group doesn't talk about other forms of fasting -- such as intermittent fasting or alternate-day fasting -- which can have the same health benefits as Longo's diet.

Paltrow also talks with Morgan Levine, who studies aging at the Yale Department of Pathology. Levine developed a method of calculating a person's "biological age," based on several factors that intend to predict how likely you are to get age-related diseases or be at risk for early death.

Paltrow, Loehnan and Lauria are tested for their biological age before starting a new diet for three weeks. Lauria followed a vegan diet and Loehnan did a pescatarian diet, while Paltrow uses Longo's kit (which includes a nut bar, soup packets and kale crackers -- appetizing, huh?) for a five-day fast.

At the end of the three weeks, all three have their "biological ages" retested. The only person whose age did not "lower" was Lauria.

To round out this antiaging episode, all of the women try three different facial treatments -- acupuncture, facial threading and a vampire facial -- that are supposed to be more natural than using typical dermatological treatments such as skin fillers and Botox injections.

Loehnen tries facial acupuncture, which is reported to boost collagen production. Lauria gets a "facial threading" treatment that involves sewing a plastic thread that dissolves after nine months into her face in an effort to boost collagen and lift the face.

A Goop employee tries facial threading, a less invasive way to get the effect of a face lift.

Finally, Paltrow gets a "vampire facial," which is when a facialist extracts platelet rich plasma from your blood, and then microneedles it into the skin on your face. The PRP is supposed to help the skin resurface and look rejuvenated. Paltrow seems a bit weirded out by the process but notes that there's an "overuse of that stuff," (referring to injections, fillers and plastic surgery), and at least "this is your own blood and not a toxin, it's a more natural way."

Right now, there is a lot of hype surrounding fasting, intermittent fasting and ketosis and how those diets might benefit our overall health. It's not all hype -- there's definitely some sound science here and it's likely to keep expanding.

During the episode, Longo presents his fasting mimicking diet, which involves "tricking" the body into a fasting state while allowing specific amounts of food for at least five days. The idea is to give your body just enough nutrients that it thinks it's fasting, but not so few that you encounter the negative effects of prolonged fasting like a weakened immune system and nutritional deficiencies.

Fasting can help improve your overall health, some studies have shown.

Longo says that his clinical trials on the fasting mimicking diet showed to "reduce risk factors for multiple age-related diseases." That's not totally bunk -- science shows that when you restrict calories for certain periods of time, it does promote longevity. A study on this type of fasting did show that it can be effective in improving health markers that put you at risk for age-related diseases such as BMI, body fat percentage and blood pressure. Fasting can also lower inflammation levels in the body, improve cognitive impairment in miceand can decrease insulin-like growth factor, a hormone linked to cancer. The research is promising.

While Longo's diet might be scientifically sound, I found it hard to wrap my mind around the idea that eating processed, packaged foods for five days could actually be better for you than eating whole, unprocessed foods. Surely you can hit the same macronutrient targets (low carb, low protein and a total of 750-1,000 calories per day) he cites is necessary to "trick your body that it's fasting" with real food?

I'd be interested in seeing studies on groups who do the fasting mimicking diet versus groups that follow a pescatarian diet (as Loehnan did in the show). Also, I'd like to see results in a study of participants who follow the fasting mimicking diet with Longo's food packets and bars versus the same exact macronutrients in whole food form. My guess is that the results could be pretty different.

The facial treatments in the episode are pretty extreme. While they are touted as "more natural" alternatives to plastic surgery or fillers, Goop did not provide much information on why these treatments are "better" for you.

When each practitioner did each treatment, it sounded more like an infomercial about why you should do it, rather than a scientifically backed procedure. The episode lacked real information or science on if these treatments are actually safe, and how they compare to fillers or Botox. No one (at least that we could see) challenged the practitioners about the safety or quality of what was going on.

Facial acupuncture is said to help stimulate the production of collagen in the skin.

The science behind facial acupuncture is promising, but there's still a lot of work to be done. As for the facial threading, aka the noninvasive face lift, a study published in JAMAconcluded that the results of the threading face lift are not effective enough to justify the patient's risk of potential complications from the procedure.

I would describe the facial threading procedure more as a cosmetic procedure and less of a facial treatment. Even though the Goop staff say it's more "natural" than a face lift, it seems pretty invasive to me. You see the doctor literally sew a plastic thread into her face and if that isn't invasive plastic surgery, I don't know what is. Nothing about this treatment says "natural alternative" to me. It just says, "here is another way to get a face lift, and it's temporary."

Goop has long been criticized for presenting highly inaccessible treatments, and that's the same in this episode. The vampire facial costs over $1,000, and the facial threading pricing can start at $1,500 and go up to over $4,000. Facial acupuncture is typically less expensive, but it depends on where you go and how many treatments you get.

There's nothing wrong with showing what these extreme treatments are like, it makes for entertaining television. But if Goop wanted to better serve its audience, perhaps it would have been more helpful to show more accessible options for natural beauty products, regimens or other useful skincare advice.

This episode of The Goop Lab presents a few valid and several questionable antiaging practices for your body and face. While fasting to improve your overall health is backed up by science, there are plenty of other more accessible and doable ways to improve your health through nutrition, exercise and lifestyle alone.

Focusing on the basics like sleep, drinking water, moving more and lowering stress seems more realistic, and then you can experiment with fasting if you think it could help you. Fasting is not a very accessible wellness trend in that it's difficult to do, you should do it under the supervision of a specialist, certain health conditions can prevent you from doing it and it can be really triggering for someone who has a history of eating disorders.

Because of this, fasting is not my favorite wellness topic to explore, and I would have loved to see Goop cover more of the actual science on the benefits other diets such as pescatarianism and veganism, or even better the benefits of eating more plant-based diet versus a restrictive plan like veganism or vegetarianism.

As for the facial treatments, I found it interesting to see the different procedures on the market, but unrelatable for someone who can't afford to drop $1,000 and up on a treatment. It would have been much more interesting to me if Goop had talked to skincare experts, dermatologists and other pros in the space who can teach people about good skincare regimens, habits, ingredients and explain what clean or natural beauty products can help.

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The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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Can fasting reverse your 'biological' age? It can, according to Goop Lab experts - CNET

Words by Kathy Michaels Photographs by Phil McLachlan

My life has been simple run fast, turn left, Dr. Andrew Dargie said over coffee one day in late fall, offering up one last thought on his work in the Okanagan and the path he took to get here.

It was an endearing understatement from someone who is clearly more comfortable with taking on big tasks than boasting about how he completed them. As a former All-American sprinter who earned a full-ride scholarship at Stanford University, speed is certainly one of the defining points of Andrews life. He competed for Team Canada numerous times, turning left over and over again as he rounded a track with some of the fastest people on the planet.

Simple, however, is where the sports metaphor falls apart.

For all his athletic abilities, academics were a priority for Andrew, who, after Stanford, obtained his medical doctor designation from the University of Calgary. In a newspaper article about him from that time in his life, a third dimension of his personality became clear. He is a compassionate individual. During medical school he found time to take on a meaningful volunteer commitment with the schools aboriginal health program. For this work he was awarded the Canadian Student Athlete Community Service Award.

His next step was entering vascular surgery residency in Manitoba.

Ultimately, he said, I realized that I loved acute care medicine, but I didnt love the operating room. So I transferred residency programs and obtained my CCFP designation and moved to the Okanagan.

Since arriving, hes worked as an emergency room physician at Penticton Regional Hospital as well as South Okanagan General Hospital. At the latter location, he is the department head of Emergency Medicine.

While in the Okanagan, Andrew took on another passion and is bringing to it the same focus and dedication he has for everything else. This passion is medical aesthetics. In addition to his ER work, he now practises advanced medical aesthetics in both Kelowna and Vernon.

I decided I love performing procedures and found something to help balance working in emergency, he said. Its personally satisfying. Im able to offer procedures that are a blend of art and science and people are appreciative and happy.

Its an interesting time in a rapidly expanding industry. Not so long ago, cosmetic surgery was the clear-cut facial rejuvenation strategy.

This can be a definitive solution to reduce the signs of aging, albeit an invasive, sometimes painful experience typically reserved for the socially elite and requiring significant down time for recovery.

Now, more people are seeking anti-aging services that are less invasive, have less down time and are more affordable. Just a few facial rejuvenation techniques that Andrew offers are botox, dysport, fillers and platelet-rich plasma injections. The clinics he works at offer lasers, CoolSculpting, microdermabrasions and chemical peels, amongst numerous other procedures and skin-care treatments.

While minimally invasive rejuvenation procedures are in high demand, the relative newness of the industry has created some issues and it is not as closely regulated as it perhaps should be. This was made plain in recent months as a non-medical civilian in the Vancouver area passed herself off as a doctor and injected dermal fillers into countless unwitting clients at a spa. She used an altered photocopy of a College Certificate of Licensure to convince medical suppliers that she had a medical licence and was certified to practise in British Columbia. In any other field of medicine it would sound ludicrous, but that it happened at all lays bare the fact that checks and balances are lacking.

Thats something Andrew worries about. And this is why he founded Aesthetics Training Canada, which offers the botox course and the filler course.

Ensuring medical professionals are properly trained is of the utmost importance. There are people injecting without any formal training in facial anatomy or rejuvenation. I said, how can I change this and provide a safe and standardized way for medical professionals to expand their scope of practice to include medical aesthetics? That was the impetus for offering these new comprehensive courses.

There are also clear gaps in proper medical care.

We have patients come in who have been getting procedures elsewhere for years, and when I go to take them through the consent process, they say, Wait, there are risks with these procedures? I was told there were zero risks, Andrew said. This shocks me. Thats not proper medicine and it really bothers me. Some people think about patients in terms of syringes or units. Or some prioritize how fast they can get a patient in and out of the door. This type of practice doesnt warn patients that there are, in fact, risks to consider.

To start creating the change he wants to see in the industry, each of Andrews treatment rooms has anatomy cards so he can take patients through what hes doing, what the risks are and how they can be mitigated.

There are all sorts of things we can do to optimize patient care, he said. If Im in emergency, whether its something as simple as cutting out a mole, or something more complicated like a cardioversion, we always take people through the risks and benefits, and it should be no different in medical aesthetics. Patients must consent and they must be educated that these are not completely harmless procedures and should be performed by experienced medical professionals only.

Adverse events can occur and these can be devastating, Andrew said. The results of shoddy, haphazardly conducted work can be disfiguring or worse even blinding and he wants to prevent this.

He also wants to bring back a more natural look.

People that come to see me get full transparency, and a natural look, he said.

The day before the interview, Andrew said he had turned away four patients who had come in seeking lip filler treatment.

Hed told them, I think your lips are already full enough and we want you to look natural.

They may go down the street and get that duck lip. But our patients arent getting that. Theyre going to get an honest and fair assessment and can expect a refreshed, natural look.

Interestingly, the four who were turned away were receptive to feedback and appreciated hearing his honest and clear communication.

Andrew has accomplished a lot in his life and is bound to take on more. What makes him different than others, however, is that he makes things look easy. He has a light and pleasant demeanour that puts people speaking to him at ease. If you didnt know better, it would be possible to believe that he did have a simple life, remarkable only by his ability to go fast and turn left.

More info at http://www.drdargie.com

Story courtesy of Boulevard Magazine, a Black Press Media publication

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Combining art and science in a medical practice - Keremeos Review

A growing body of evidence is emerging in support of medical nutrition therapy as a way of reducing severity and incidence of dermatologic diseases, according to recent findings.

Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for the treatment of dermatological conditions is an evolving science that involves collaboration between a dermatologist and registered dietitian to offer the patient the most scientifically sound nutrition/dietary advice to potentially quell symptoms of chronic disease like acne, eczema and psoriasis, Martina M. Cartwright, PhD, RD, of the department of nutritional sciences at the University of Arizona, Tucson, told Healio Dermatology. MNT plays a role in wound healing and may be used to reduce the signs of skin aging. This is the first article to offer a roadmap to applying MNT to a variety of skin conditions.

Cartwright added that diet and nutrition are not cures for skin ailments, but they may help alleviate symptoms.

In the current review article, the researchers noted that research has advanced beyond the role of individual nutrients, supplements and foods in disease to MNT, which they describe as a multidisciplinary adjuvant form of medical practice.

According to the researchers, cause and effect is rarely observed with diet/nutrition and dermatologic conditions. Rather, associations some of them compelling have been drawn between diet and outcomes including disease severity and the number of conditions experienced by a patient.

The review article covers a cross-section of food groups and supplements, from various carbohydrates, proteins and fats, to linoleic acids and eicosapentaenoic acids (EPAs), to simple and complex sugars, to vitamins ranging from beta-carotene to zinc. Charts detail how excesses or deficiencies of these foods and supplements can affect overall and dermatologic health.

Disease-specific information is also included, with dietary advice for acne, atopic dermatitis, melanoma, psoriasis, rosacea and wound care included.

Looking closer at specific associations, the researchers observed a link between high glycemic index foods and acne. They reported that immunoglobulin E (IgE)-related allergies were associated with AD, and that weight loss and improved waist circumference may improve psoriasis.

Eliminating hot and spicy foods may benefit patients with rosacea, whereas increased protein intake may speed up the healing process for wounds, they wrote.

Regarding melanoma, an anti-inflammatory, nutrient dense diet is recommended.

Cartwright noted that over 25 years of being a dietitian, presentations at dermatology conferences have focused largely on linking diet or nutrition with worsening of skin disorders, but rarely have discussions focused on improvement or practical how-to advice for the patient. This is where MNT comes in, she said. It is a collaborative approach between the dermatology physician and registered dietitian to tackle skin disorders from a scientific and personalized medicine prospective, using the latest evidence-based medicine and counseling strategies that foster lasting nutritional changes and produce meaningful clinical outcomes.

Nutritional advice without practical counseling usually goes nowhere with the patient, she added. by Rob Volansky

Disclosure: Cartwright reports she is a speaker for Abbott Nutrition.

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Medical nutrition therapy shows positive benefits in dermatologic conditions - Healio

The Entrepreneur with Brains and beauty J. Nicole Baca

We, beauty writers, are lucky enough to have access to some of the best skincare experts and products in the business. Its our job to quiz them on how best to treat our skin and what are the best skincare products on the market, before reporting back to you.

So, of course, whenever I meet a new skincare expert, dermatologist, or facialist my first question is always:Whats the number one thing we should all be using on our skin?

Celebrity skincare expertJ. Nicole Baca the brains behindOverdosehas proven time and time again that every ingredient she has put into her product has seen itfly off the shelves.

Overdosehas become one of the best products in the beauty world and Hollywood celebrities swear by it. It is the holy grail of skincare. Each stylish slim black bottle sold out within weeks when it was launched online a few years back and it is still going strong today.

With all the recent buzz surroundingOverdose,we knew we had to give it a try for ourselves, especially since its Bacas signature product.

J.Nicole uses patent-pendingBio-Hybrid Technologyto combine seven separate skincare products into one easy to use formula. It is applyingOverdoseonce a day after cleansing, has skin looking clearer, brighter, and more youthful in an instant. Its anti-aging formula works to improve your skins overall appearance by hydrating, firming, smoothing, and regenerating as it visibly reduces the signs of aging, blemishes, and uneven skin tone.

Whether youre looking for a brighter complexion, refreshed pores, or a burst of hydration,Overdosecomes out on top.

The advice given is not to hide behind your multiple-step skincare routine when you can look good in just two steps! The unique serum formula utilizes the higholeic acidfound within specially bred hybrid sunflowers, delivering a super-saturated boost of skincare essentials deep into your skin without any irritation.

AtTDS, were here to help you navigate through this overwhelming world of lets call it stuff or clutter of unnecessary products we all have in our medicine cabinets, to help you choose the right serums for your skincare regime.

So, we asked three experts who all have different skin concerns, to put the product to the test and share their first impressions to help better you navigate your selection the next time a restock rolls around their unfiltered opinions, ahead.

Before you assume your skin is doomed for life, read on. Lets hear it from the experts!

Paralegal Sabina Cohen

The Background Sabina says: I endured embarrassing acne on my chin and forehead that I was only able to curtail in the past few years by adding Overdose to my regimen. Now that the problem areas are generally under control, my skin is getting itself together. I still get occasional hormonal breakouts, but that is normal, and since Im 32, aging is on my mind. Overdose has definitely improved my complexion.

The Overdose Verdict: The most obvious improvements Ive noticed have been with my skin healing after breakouts. Ive seen a marked increase in healing time for inflammation, which is huge for me. I also want to call out my skins hydrationeven being inside with AC and several plane flights in the past month, my skin hasnt ever felt dry or tight. I credit that with the quality of Overdose and the fact that so many of them include hydrating ingredients.

Nurse Practitioner Chantel Morgan

The Background Chantel says: One to two times a week, Ive been using the Overdose, and it is gentle and seems like an amped-up lotion. You slather it on after cleansing at night and go to bed. It doesnt have a strong scent, it rubs in nicely, and its just super, super simple. For my skin, the mask helped with resurfacing, but I didnt see a ton of brightening effects. However, I did notice my skin seemed smoother and more moisturized in the mornings after using it, and any inflammation was generally toned down.

The Overdose Verdict: Ive been using Overdose as part of my routine for the past four weeks, and honestly, I might not come back from it. The results were apparent within the first few days of using everythingmy skin is brighter and more even, and my lines have seemed to have softened. I feel less inclined to wear my regular tinted moisturizer because Im that satisfied.

Stay-At-Home Mom / Web Designer Cemre Gupta

The Background Cemre says: Maybe its that Im no longer in my 20s, or maybe its just that I no longer live a sweet freelancers lifestyle at the beach in Sydney where I can do yoga and swim every day? Either way, my skin feels dreary by the end of the day.

The Overdose Verdict: I knew my skin was feeling much softer, but I didnt realize how different it looks until I saw these photos side by side. It just finally feels like my skin is properly hydrated around the clockId gotten used to seeing myself in the mirror toward the end of the day and thinking. Mostly its just nice to not feel that same temptation from makeup that promises to be brightening or dewy.

Thanks, team!

Curious to see what the $95 bottle can do? Click here for more information.

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We put J. Nicole's 'Overdose' serum to the test with win win... - Daily Scanner

Aging is an inevitable phenomenon. Over the last 40 years, there has been an incredible focus on the aesthetics of aging, particularly with an emphasis on cosmetic anti-aging therapies. These efforts have faced their share of controversy, as scientists continue to debunk false advertising and anti-aging therapies that are not backed by evidence-based medicine. Nonetheless, regardless of the controversy, an entire industry and therapeutic cosmos has silently grown around the promise of aesthetic rejuvenation.

The anti-aging market is positioned to reach $271 billion by 2024. Studies report that anti-wrinkle products alone will reach $12.8 billion dollars in market share by 2027. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons also noted the growth in rates of cosmetic surgery procedures from the year 2000 to 2018: breast augmentation procedures increased by 48%, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) procedures were up by 107%, and most notably, the use of Botox injections increased by an astounding 845%. According to this report, there has been an overall increase by 163% in the number of total cosmetic procedures from the year 2000 to 2018. Indeed, these startling figures not only indicate the immense value of this market, but also point to an industry that shows no signs of slowing down.

Plastic surgeon marking the skin for surgery.

Congruently, healthcare providers and practices have also benefited from this immense growth. An Allegran/BSM Medical Aesthetics Database study found that revenues have steadily increased for medical aesthetic and dermatology practices/clinics across the USA, due in large part to providers offering more varied aesthetic services and hiring staff dedicated solely to this business. Industry growth is likely also due to the fact that the practice of cosmetic medicine, which was once a domain reserved solely for dermatologists and plastic surgeons, is now being practiced by other specialists; in a 2014 survey, it was reported that upto 22% of family physicians are now providing some form of cosmetic and aesthetic medicine in their practices. Thus, this phenomenon is permeating all aspects of the modern healthcare practice.

However, as with any multibillion dollar industry that undergoes dramatic and exponential growth, the rapid rise of the anti-aging market has caused controversy. In 2008, a group of 51 scientists published a groundbreaking scientific report, raising concerns around the lack of scientific and evidence-based medicine behind some anti-aging treatments. More recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is similarly attempting to address concerns in this area, warning consumers about sham products and cosmetic myths. Fortunately, there is a growing scientific community that is focused on educating the public about evidence-based anti-aging strategies and techniques, so that consumers are well informed and aware of genuine, scientifically proven therapies.

Variety of skin and body care products.

Ultimately, however, in order to responsibly grow this industry, certain parameters need to be maintained. As with any other medical procedure or pharmaceutical product, regulators and practitioners alike need to be increasingly wary of new or untested products that claim to have anti-aging effects without significant evidence-based backing. The same should be said about the practice of actually administering these products to patients. Anti-aging therapy should be considered a form of medical practice, and as with any form of medicine, it is imperative that governing bodies place strict standards of competency, training, and technical pre-requisites prior to allowing practitioners to administer these therapies on their own accord. These steps will certainly be necessary in the coming decades, as there is no doubt that public demand will continue to fuel this phenomenon. However, maintaining close oversight and a strict emphasis on evidenced-based medicine, is the only way to ensure the safe, sustainable, and patient-centered growth of this robust industry.

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Anti-Aging And Aesthetic Medicine: The Silent Rise Of This Multibillion Dollar Industry - Forbes

Sunspots, which doctors may refer to as solar lentigines, are dark brown, flat, rounded spots that may appear on the face or other areas of sun-exposed skin. Sunspots are most likely to develop in the following areas:

The sun emits ultraviolet (UV) radiation that stimulates the production of skin cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes produce a substance called melanin, which gives the skin its color.

When there is a disruption to melanin production, people may develop overpigmented (hyperpigmented) or underpigmented (hypopigmented) areas of skin. Sunspots are hyperpigmented skin blemishes.

Sunspots are not cancerous anddo not becomecancerous. However, some people may find these skin blemishes unsightly. They may, therefore, seek treatment to lessen the appearance of sunspots and improve their self-esteem.

Causes

Researchersnote that the enzyme tyrosinase is a key factor in the production of melanin. They suggest that the overactivity of tyrosinase may causehyperpigmentationor sunspots.

Overactivity of the tyrosinase enzyme can occur as a result of aging. Due to this, some people refer to sunspots as age spots.

According to theAmerican Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS), some people may also have a genetic risk for developing sunspots.

Doctors can treat sunspots by slowing down or stopping the activity of the tyrosinase enzyme. They describe drugs that achieve this as having antityrosinase activity. The effects that they have can help lessen the appearance of sunspots.

Two types of treatment are available for sunspots on the face: topical creams and dermatologic techniques.

Topical creams are treatments that people apply to the skin. Several creams contain ingredients that target the tyrosinase enzyme and reduce the appearance of sunspots.

Hydroquinone

Hydroquinone is a popular medicinal treatment for sunspots. However, theFood and Drug Administration (FDA)have not approved hydroquinone for treating and preventing sunspots due to the drugs unknown safety profile.

Hydroquinone works as a skin-lightening treatment by blocking the effect of tyrosinase. People can purchase 2% hydroquinone creams over the counter. Higher strengths of hydroquinone require a doctors prescription.

People who use hydroquinone may experience the following side effects:

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid using hydroquinone because substantial amounts of the medication absorb into the skin and enter the womans bloodstream. Here, it can affect a fetus or a breastfeeding baby.

Tretinoin

Tretinoin is a derivative ofvitaminA. Topical tretinoin creams can reduce the effect of photoaging that occurs as a result of exposure to UVB radiation.

Tri-Luma

Tri-Luma is a topical cream containingthreeactive ingredients that can help reduce hyperpigmentation. These are:

Although doctors are unsure how this combination works to reduce sunspots,researcherssuggest that tretinoin increases the effectiveness of hydroquinone.

Fluocinolone acetonide is a corticosteroid that dermatologists sometimes prescribe to treat severe inflammatory skin disorders.

Dermatologic techniques typically involve removing layers of skin from the sunspot to lessen its appearance.

TheASDSrecommend the following treatments for sunspots:

As age spots are not dangerous, people may decide to lighten them using home remedies or natural products. Some natural products that may help treat age spots include those below.

A2017 laboratory studyinvestigated the anti-aging skin effects of six different plant species that people commonly use in African folk medicine. In this study,Haloxylon articulatum, locally known as Remeth, had the greatest effect on reducing tyrosinase activity.

Cleome arabica, locally known as Mnitna, was also able to block tyrosinase activity but not as effectively asH. articulatum. The researchers concluded that both products may be effective natural skin-lightening agents. However, further studies involving human participants are necessary to confirm these effects.

A2012 laboratory studyinvestigated the antityrosinase activity of ten different South African plant species.

Four differentAloespecies inhibited the production of tyrosinase in vitro. These wereAloe ferox,Aloe aculeata,Aloe pretoriensis, andAloe sessiliflora. Of these,A. feroxshowed the greatest inhibitory effects.

However, leaf extract ofHarpephyllum caffrumshowed the greatest antityrosinase activity overall. The researchers, therefore, concluded thatH. caffrumcould be useful as a treatment for sunspots. However, further studies are necessary to confirm its effects in humans.

Traditional Chinese medicine doctorssometimes recommend licorice extract to lighten the skin. The main component of licorice is a chemical called glabridin. According to a review from2009, glabridin has antityrosinase activity and can prevent UVB-induced hyperpigmentation.

Other components in licorice extract lighten the skin by dispersing melanin. People using licorice extracts may notice improvements in sunspots without experiencing significant side effects.

Researchers have studied the effects of soybeans on skin pigmentation. In an earlierstudy from 2001,researchers found that soy milk inhibits pathways in skin cells that cause hyperpigmentation. Further studies in humans are necessary to confirm these findings.

Treatment durations

The duration of treatment necessary to treat sunspots depends partly on the type of treatment. In general, though, it may take weeks to months for treatment to cause noticeable changes to the skin. For example, the skin-lightening effects of dermabrasion may take68 weeks.

Some treatments may also require multiple procedures. People who opt for chemical peels can repeat the procedure every612 monthsif necessary.

A person should talk to their doctor or dermatologist to get an approximate time frame for their treatment.

Sunspots are noncancerous skin blemishes that people can develop on the face and other sun-exposed areas of the body.

Although sunspots are harmless, some people may want to get rid of them or lessen their appearance for cosmetic reasons. Dermatologists may recommend topical creams or dermatologic procedures to lighten the skin.

Natural remedies may be effective in reducing the appearance of sunspots. However, further research is necessary to establish their effectiveness.

A dermatologist may give some indication of how long a persons treatment will take to produce noticeable results.

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What To Know About Sunspots On The Face - South Florida Reporter