Liver Spots

by Dr. Sandra Cabot

What are they?

Liver spots are medically termed "Lentigos" and also known as age spots. They are sharply defined light brown to black flat patches of skin that appear on the face and backs of the hands looking somewhat like a large freckle. They may measure up to 1 inch in size.

Who is most at risk of developing these spots?

The spots most commonly develop in people of middle age and older. They are more common in people who have spent a lot of time in the sun.

What causes the spots?

The spots are brought out by exposure to the sun. The color is due to pigments within the cells of the epidermis (top skin layer).

Many people have a hereditary predisposition to develop liver spots. Free radicals are unstable atoms in the body that start a domino type effect leading to damage of cellular components such as DNA. Over time this can lead to many conditions attributable to cellular damage such as skin conditions including liver spots.

What can be done about these spots?

As sun exposure plays a role in the development of liver spots it is advisable to stay out of the sun. Cover up when outside and use a good quality sunscreen (minimum spf 15) as part of your daily skin care regime.

Improving the liver function is important to prevent and manage skin conditions of any description including liver spots, as the liver is the major filter of the blood, clearing it of toxins that can build up in the system and create free radicals which promote cell damage in the skin.

The key to keeping free radical production to a minimum is to consume foods and supplements rich in "antioxidants" These are molecules that in effect put a halt on the destructive 'domino' effect of the free radicals.

Are these spots dangerous?

These lesions are classed as 'benign" or non cancerous. They are generally harmless and painless. The main effect is cosmetic - this may cause some distress. Occasionally a person may develop 'keratosis' which look very similar to a liver spot. Keratosis are a pre cancerous scaly red lesion. It is recommended that all people with dark freckles, moles or liver spots should have a skin examination yearly.

Recommended Dr Cabot Books

"The Healthy Liver and Bowel Book"

"Raw Juices Can Save Your Life"

Treatment

General recommendations

Avoid direct exposure to sunlight on the face and hands. Stay out of the sun particularly between 10am - 4pm when the UV exposure is greatest. If you do need to be outdoors at this time wear a large brimmed hat. Use a good quality sunscreen with a minimum sun protection factor (spf) of 15.

Diet

As stated above consumption of foods high in natural antioxidants is the best insurance policy against free radical production.

Follow the vital principles of eating outlined on p 20 - 27 of "The Healthy Liver and Bowel Book " by Dr Cabot and make these principles a way of life. Aim to eat at least 5 servings of fruit or vegetables per day.

To improve your liver function you must avoid ALL dairy foods including milk, cheese, cream, butter, ice cream, yoghurt, chocolate etc the fat content of milk is actually quite negligible in terms of weight loss. - dairy foods contain high levels of antibiotics, steroids and artificial growth hormones as this is what the herds are treated with in today's high tech dairies to prevent disease and boost milk production. As with humans where substances go through into breast milk it is the same for cattle - only they neglect to tell you this in the advertisements when they are telling you how great milk is. If you need further info on this please visit www.notmilk.com

Try some different brands and varieties of soy as they vary greatly. The fresh soy products in the dairy cabinet are much lighter and not as strong in taste as the long life products. There are also rice milks and oat milks to try

-- Avoid ALL margarines and similar type spreads
-- Avoid deep fried and fatty foods.
-- Avoid sugary processed foods and drinks
-- Limit chicken and turkey that is not free range as this contains artificial growth hormones, antibiotics and steroids that increase the livers workload.
--Drink 2 litres of water each day.
-- Avoid artificial sweeteners see www.dorway.com

Healthy Sweetener Use Guide

Sweeteners to Avoid:
Aspartame
Neotame
Sucralose (Splenda)
Acesulfame-K (Sunette, Sweet & Safe, Sweet One)
Cyclamates
Saccharin

Sweeteners to Use:
Stevia *
Barley Malt
Evaporated Cane Juice
Fruit Juice
Rice Syrup
Honey
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) *
Amasake
*= Safe for Diabetics
*****************

Juices

Dr Cabot has known about the incredible healing power of raw juices from a very young age. Her grandmother’s life was saved by raw juicing back in the 1930s. Raw juices are an incredible powerful healing tool and can improve the function of the liver, bowels and kidneys. This increases the elimination of toxins and waste products from the skin.

Carrot juice in particular is recommended as a good source of betacarotene - a precursor to vitamin A which is an important protector of the skin.

The recommended juices from Dr Cabot's Raw Juices Can Save Your Life book are:
• "Skin Problems Juice" on p 131
• "Liver Cleansing" or Liver tonic" juices on p116

Dr Cabot's recommended supplements program for Liver Spots:

• Livatone
Dose: 1 tsp of powder 2 x day in juices or 2 capsules 2 x day before meals

• MSM Plus Vitamin C
Dose: 1/2 tsp 2 x day in juices
This is organic sulphur required by the body to form proteins and amino acids (including the sulphur bearing amino acids cysteine, methionine and taurine) which are essential for the liver to detoxify chemicals & toxins. Provides links for collagen synthesis. Maintains healthy strong skin, hair, teeth & nails. Works with vitamin C, B vitamins, and lipoic acid for health of all the body cells. Aids in the manufacture of bile & elimination of toxins, & is a powerful blood cleanser.

• "Selenomune Powder" OR "Selenium Complete" tablets
Dose: 1 tsp 2 x day in juice or 2 tablets 2 x day
Source of the antioxidant selenium in a brewers yeast base rich in B Vitamins

• "Natural Vitamin E"
Dose: 500iu daily
The mineral Selenium and Vitamin E work together to provide powerful antioxidant protection against free radicals. this has benefits for the entire body.

Other supplements that may assist:

• Hair skin and nail food
Dose: 2 capsules daily. Easy to swallow capsules that contain nutrients to promote the health of the hair skin and nails. Ingredients include: Biotin for strong nails, folic acid, Inositol and Siberian ginseng to promote circulation to the hair and skin.

Orthodox medicine

Traditionally treatments used in medical practices have been quite destructive - and generally entailed burning with mild acid solutions or freezing the lesion - this would cause some damage to the surrounding skin. Modern use of lasers can effectively remove the spots without damaging the surrounding skin. Lasers work to selectively remove the pigment containing cells of each lesion. They require no anesthesia.