Brown spots in the face appear quite normally in people who spend a lot of time in the sun over a period of their lifetime. The brown spots are actually called age spots. This appellation is quite appropriate as well because it is a good indication of skin aging and damage from UV radiation exposure. However, you need not worry as this is not a dangerous condition in any way; though, if the spots appear to be increasing in size, then you need to consult your doctor to ensure that there is no growth under the skin.
When the skin is exposed to sunlight, specifically UV radiation, the skin pigment melanin reacts with the melanin to produce heat. This is the main reason why we have melanin in our bodies – to protect it against the harmful effects of UV radiation, which could cause cellular damage and cancerous growths.
When melanin and UV radiation meet, a reaction called oxidative stress occurs. This causes the skin pigment to darken by a shade. Repeated exposures will cause even further darkening to the point of blackness. However, the process of UV radiation absorption is not flawless or completely efficient. Some
of the UV light will escape into the surrounding skin and still cause damage. Over many years, or more accurately, repeated exposures to the sun, the damage becomes irreparable and a brown blemish on the skin appears. This blemish is just a concentration of melanin in the skin and will darken to black at some point of time.
To rid yourself of this blemish, all you need to do is to bleach the skin. This can be done with Vitamin C, azelaic acid, or tretinoin. Vitamin C can be acquired from citrus fruits like lemons and oranges but the richest sources come from blackcurrant and strawberries. Mash the fruits of these and apply them over the area of spotting for an hour every day. Use some salicylic acid to exfoliate the skin where the spots appear. Salicylic acid breaks down dead skin protein making it easier to wash off skin that is dead, further making it easier for the bleach to reach the area of application. Azelaic acid can be acquired from sources like wheat, rye and barley and should be applied topically. Tretinoin can work for age spots by promoting skin growth and cellular turnover. Tretinoin is the acid form of vitamin A and is a synthetic substance in some anti-aging creams.