12 Ways to Fade and Remove Age Spots Naturally (2025)

Age spots are flat, dark marks caused by sun exposure, often appearing on the face, hands, and other exposed areas. Speak with your skin specialist (dermatologist) before using natural remedies.

Jump to Key Takeaways.

1. Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is a common recommendation for addressing age spots. Citric acid and vitamin C can work as bleaching agents to lighten age spots.

Avoid if you're sensitive or allergic to citrus.

• Apply fresh lemon juice or lemon slices onto a cotton ball and directly on your age spots.
• Dilute the juice with water if its full strength is too harsh for your skin.
• Leave it on for 10 to 30 minutes.
• Rinse with warm water (avoid using soap).
• Do this routine consistently two to three times per week.
• You may see results in as little as a month.

Using sunscreen and other safe sun practices afterward is essential, as lemon juice can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.

2. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera may help repair skin after sun damage, hydrate, and rejuvenate it. It may also help lighten age spots and can be great for skin health in general.

A 2018 study found that aloesin, derived from the aloe vera plant, may help with darker skin patches (hyperpigmentation) by inhibiting melanin production (melanogenesis).

• Apply fresh or store-bought aloe gel or juice twice a day to your age spots.
• Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse with cool water.
• Repeat this process twice a day.
• You may see improvements within a month.

3. Exfoliation

Sun exposure and aging can slow down skin regeneration. Exfoliating your skin can help brighten your complexion by removing dead skin cells.

• Apply a mixture of lemon juice, sugar, and olive oil to your age spots.
• Let it sit for five minutes.
• Rinse the mixture off your skin with cool water.

This mask may give you an exfoliating scrub, with the added lightening benefits of lemon juice. Exofoliate in moderation.

4. Castor Oil

Castor oil has skin benefits such as improving acne and inflammation, which can lead to hyperpigmentation. It can also help even out skin tone.

• Gently rub castor oil onto your age spots.
• Massage until it is absorbed into your skin.
• Leave it on for a few hours.
• Rinse the castor oil off your skin.
• Do this process twice a day to help age spots slowly fade away.

You may begin to see results in a month.

5. Papaya

Enzymes and acids in papaya can help reduce the appearance of age spots and help with acne, blemishes, and skin exfoliation.

Some people can have an allergic reaction to papaya treatment. Before applying papaya to the skin, do a 24-hour patch test.

• Make a raw papaya paste.
• Gently rub it onto your age spots.
• Leave it on for 20 minutes.
• Rinse the paste off with cool water.
• Apply this paste twice a day.
• You may begin to see results in two months.

You can also make a mask:

• Combine fresh papaya, honey, and lemon juice.
• Apply the mask.
• Leave it on for 15 minutes.
• Rinse the mask off with lukewarm water.

6. Apple Cider Vinegar Solution

The natural acids in apple cider vinegar can help lighten age spots by promoting gentle exfoliation.

• Make a mixture of equal parts apple cider vinegar and water.
• Use a cotton ball to dab the mixture onto your age spots.
• Let it sit for a few minutes.
• Rinse the solution from your skin with water.

Apple cider vinegar can be irritating to the skin; use it cautiously.

7. Potato

Potatoes contain starch and sugar, which help exfoliate and remove dead skin cells and encourage new cell growth. They also contain specific vitamins and minerals that may help rejuvenate the skin's collagen.

• Cut a potato into very thin slices.
• Apply some water to them.
• Apply slices to your age spots.
• Leave them on for about 10 minutes.
• This treatment is mild and can be done daily.
  

Doing this routine at night can give the vitamins and minerals a chance to affect skin tone.

8. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is an excellent exfoliant with anti-inflammatory qualities that help soothe skin irritation.

• Create a paste mixture of three parts oatmeal, one part honey, and one part milk.
• Apply it to areas with age spots.
• Let it dry completely.
• Rinse the paste from your skin with water.
• You can do this routine up to three times a week.

9. Cucumber

Cucumbers are high in water and contain antioxidants and skin-benefiting vitamins. They can help with hyperpigmentation and moisturize the skin.

Cucumber slices can be applied to age spots directly for about 20 minutes.

You can also make a mask:

• Combine a whole cucumber, a tablespoon of lemon juice, and a teaspoon of aloe gel.
• Blend into a pulp in a blender.
• Apply the mask where needed.
• Let it sit for 30 minutes.
• Rinse the mask from your skin with water.
• Do this routine daily.

10. Buttermilk or Yogurt

Buttermilk and yogurt contain lactic acid, which can help exfoliate and lighten pigmentation.

• Apply buttermilk or plain yogurt to your age spots.
• Let it sit for about 20 minutes.
• Rinse the buttermilk or yogurt from your skin with cool water.
• Apply moisturizer.

Unless this routine is causing you irritation or discomfort, you can use it daily until you see your desired results.

11. Orange Peel

Orange peels contain vitamin C, calcium, and antioxidants. They may help lighten hyperpigmented areas and rejuvenate the skin.

Avoid if you're sensitive or allergic to citrus.

• Try applying the juice from orange peels directly to the age spots.
• Let it sit for 20 minutes.
• Rinse the juice from your skin with water.
  

12. Honey

Honey can be used as an exfoliant to remove dead hyperpigmented skin cells.

• Using your fingertips, gently rub honey into the skin.
• Leave the honey on for 20 minutes.
• Rinse the honey from your skin with water.
• Honey can be applied daily.

What Causes Age Spots?

Despite the name, liver spots, as age spots are sometimes called, have nothing to do with the liver.

Causes and contributing factors of age spots may include:

• Sun exposure over time
  
• Hereditary predisposition to age spots
• Age (they can happen at any age, but are more common in adults over age 50)
• Extra melanin production in response to injury or irritation, leading to hyperpigmentation (more common in people who have darker skin tones)

Do Age Spots Go Away?

Age spots are usually permanent but may or may not fade over time.

It's better to try to prevent age spots than treat them.

Preventing age spots starts with sun protection. Since age spots result from repeated sun exposure, the earlier you incorporate safe sun practices into your routine, the better.

To protect your skin from the sun:

• Seek shade or wear sun-protective clothing.
• Use broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 on any skin not covered by clothing (do this daily, not just on hot days).
• Apply sunscreen every two hours, and after sweating or swimming.
• Avoid being outside between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun is strongest.
• Avoid tanning beds.

Taking care of your skin and overall health is also essential. Eat a nutritious diet, stay hydrated, be physically active, and get enough good-quality sleep.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

• See a healthcare provider: Before you try home remedies, consult your dermatologist or healthcare provider about any new or unusual spots, as skin cancer can look like age spots.
• Watch for signs: Seek care if spots are scaly, red, crusty, shiny, or meet the ABCDE rule.
• Treatment options: If natural remedies fail, discuss medicated creams, laser therapy, cryosurgery, microdermabrasion, or chemical peels with a dermatologist.

Key Takeaways

• Natural options: Home remedies like lemon juice and honey may help, but lack strong scientific support compared to professional treatments.
• Cosmetic choice: Age spots generally don’t need treatment, but can be lightened if desired.
• Health caution: Age spots are generally harmless, but a healthcare provider should evaluate new or changing spots to rule out skin cancer.