Q. What causes brown spots on the face and body? Is there something lacking,
or is this caused by any type of disease?
A. Brown spots, sometimes called age spots or liver spots, are caused by the
accumulation of a yellow pigment called lipofuscin in the connective tissues
of the body, due to aging of the collagen-producing cells. When lipofuscin
accumulates in the connective tissue of the skin, brown spots are the result.
When lipofuscin accumulates in the connective tissue of the retina of the
eye, the result is age-related macular degeneration. The lipofuscin is
probably the remnant of incompletely degraded molecules from damaged cells.
Preventing damage to cells is the best approach to age spots and other
problems from aging. Antioxidants are the key to preventing cellular damage
from free radicals (highly reactive molecules that can destroy cellular
compounds). Protective antioxidants include carotenes (present in most yellow
vegetables), vitamins C and E (in fresh fruits and vegetables), selenium (in
wheat germ), flavonoids (in blueberries, blackberries and cherries) and
sulfur-containing amino acids (in legumes, eggs, garlic and onions).
Increasing the amount of antioxidant foods in the diet, along with
supplementation, will decrease cellular damage. Be sure to avoid external
sources of free radicals, including fried and grilled foods, rancid fats,
solvents, pesticides, air pollutants, radiation and petroleum-based products.
To help fade the spots themselves, try a cream that contains a chamomile
extract.
by Elizabeth Burch, ND