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Aromatherapy and Essential Oils
Natural Ways to Help Reduce Age Spots
Age spots, sun spots, liver spots – they’re all different names for what is essentially the same condition. No person wants to look in the mirror and see dark spots on their skin. Many believe that this is a sign of aging that doesn’t occur until you get older. The truth of the matter is that age spots don’t have to occur with age. Individuals of all ages, skin tones, genders, and backgrounds can develop these spots on their skin. They’re most commonly found in areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun, including the face, shoulders, chest, arms, and hands. While age spots can sometimes take on the appearance of cancerous moles or growths, a true age spot is harmless health-wise but may be damaging to your confidence or self-esteem.
Prevention is key when it comes to curbing the development of age spots. These most commonly occur when the skin comes in unprotected contact with the sun, and using sunscreen or avoiding uncovered skin exposure is your best means of prevention. If you already have age spots, however, there are a number of things you can do to treat them and assist in fading.
Age spots can range in color and size. Most commonly these are flat oval-shaped areas of increased skin pigmentation, and they may be tan, brown, or black in color. While most age spots are relatively small, they can begin grouping together to form what looks like larger coverage areas. No matter the size or color of your age spots, you do have options in helping the fading process.
Using Essential Oils To Combat Age Spots
There are a number of treatments out there that claim to help the fading of age spots, but only one has been used for generations in skincare – essential oils. Microdermabrasion, freezing therapy, and prescription bleaching creams may all be prescribed to aid in the fading of age spots, but many find that essential oils are more affordable, effective, and more accessible than any other treatment. Not all essential oils are created equal, and some have far better anti-age spot properties than others:
- Tea tree essential oil – Not just for age spots, tea tree essential oil is a must-have for any skincare oil regimen. It has minor resurfacing qualities within the oil, like a much gentler topical acid. It has a powerful ability to quickly heal blemishes and wounds through skin regeneration. If your age spots have been brought on by using harsh acne treatments or acne scarring, tea tree essential oil is just what you’re looking for.
- Lavender essential oil – Lavender is known as the calming oil, and this isn’t just for its ability to soothe your nerves. Lavender essential oil also has the power to calm the skin, including skin that shows age spot damages.
- Geranium Oil – Geranium essential oil has a natural astringent property, which calms redness while also toning the skin at the same time. On top of this, it has a natural ability to improve hydration retention in the skin, which helps the skin decrease any appearance of scarring or hyperpigmentation.
- Frankincense oil – Frankincense oil is a super-oil when it comes to helping to fade scarring, which is essentially what age spots are. It helps to stimulate healthy skin turnover, allowing your own skin to fade age spots naturally. Sometimes Frankincense oil is compared to retinols, but without the harsh effects many retinols are associated with.
- Rosemary essential oil – Rosemary essential oil can help to enhance the skin’s natural circulation, which can be a major boost in fading the appearance of age spots. If dark spots are present due to past acne scarring, it’s natural disinfectant properties will aid in curbing these types of dark spots and hyperpigmentation as well.
Using Essential Oils In Fading Dark Spots
When using essential oils in fading dark spots, you won’t typically be using a diffuser or aromatherapy to do so. These oils will typically be applied topically to the affected areas of the skin, and it must be done with a sufficient carrier oil to avoid any burning, reaction, or further skin damage in the process. A 2.5% dilution is typically recommended, which equals to around 15 drops of essential oil to every 6 teaspoons of your chosen carrier oil.
When choosing your carrier oil, you’ll want to choose one that is right for your skin. Those who are acne-prone may not find the same positive results with coconut oil as a person with very dry skin, and might find grape seed oil to be the better choice. Some common carrier oils for topical skin applications are coconut oil, jojoba oil, grape seed oil, and sweet almond oil among others. Your carrier oil will not dilute the efficacy of your essential oil, but ensure its safety for topical use.
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Very good info well presented, however, a word of Caution—application of essential oils (even diluted) to skin can cause hyper-pigmentation/“age-spots” to both form and become darker when exposed to the Sun. Based on my experience as a holistic esthetician, only apply your carrier oil essential oil blend at NIGHT and wash areas where you applied your blend in the morning, Be sure to apply a zinc oxide based sunscreen on the spots for best protection. Also, be sure to wear a hat, scarf, gloves or other protective gear to minimize and prevent hyper-pigmentation when you’re outdoors or near windows with bright light.
I am always looking for ways to help my skin look youthful. I had no idea essential oils were beneficial.
I didn’t know that Lavender could help with age spots.
I’ve been using rosemary and lavender. Going to buy geranium next. Thanks for the information!
What a great article. And again very helpful information. Thanks!
This was right on time as I just noticed I have an age spot! Thank you!
Wow, love the information. Will definitely try for sure!
WOW I had no ideal that essential oils would work with age spots……………….. going to try
Thank you for these great tips, I really appreciate it 🙂 I’m very keen to try some of them out because I have a fairly large age spot just below my left eye that appeared a year or so ago.
I’ll be using rosemary more often now! It is so fascinating how lavender keeps surprising me how diverse it is.
I already have many of the oils you recommend for treating age spots in my cupboard at home but had no idea they could be used for this purpose. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, I’ll probably be needing this information before too long now
Very informative. I have age spots especially on my hands.
Thanks for sharing all your knowledge with us
You know so much about so much I thank you
I had no idea about geranium oil thanks
such invaluable information ty for sharing
Great information. I have sunspots and have tried the bleaching cream with poor results. I am going to try essential oils. Thanks
This is much better than using potentially harmful chemicals
I never use any soaps or chemicals on my face when washing, I use all natural creams, hoping I can avoid age spots. Great post as always.
I now want to try this new information, thank you!
Definitely keeping this info! I need help with age spots
Wow, learned a lot about age spot helpers. Never thought things really did help them
As an older woman, I really appreciate this information. Hope it’s not too late for me to gain some of these benefits!
Thank you for Sharing this Helpful Information ….. I can’t wait to give this a try! Such Benefits
these are some great tips!
I had no idea that Geranium essential oil could be so beneficial in skincare! Good to know.
Will certainly be trying soon – didn’t realise there were so many benefits – Thankyou
will have to try !
Loving the use of natural oils to help fade age spots!
Thanks for sharing this wonderful info!
Wow! Great tips! I’d also like to share one of my own! If you use the formula above to apply #essentialoils to your skin to combat age spots, DON’T FORGET THE BACK OF YOUR HANDS! Any extra oil can be rubbed on the back of hands, which are typically one of the first places to show age spots. Also, after applying SPF to your face, rub any excess on the back of the hands for the same reason! hope these help! #OrganicAromas xoxoJJ
Interesting and helpful information. Will these oils be effective on freckles?
thank you for sharing this awesome info
Very good information!! Thanks for sharing!!
great information, I am starting to see age spots
Very informative in explaining why the spots can occur and how to treat them.
Thank you for these informations!
As every week, you have exceeded, very good article and very useful.
Thanks So much This info is very helpful.
Would borage oil make a good carrier oil?