Moderate exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system, which is important for skin health. If you have a sedentary job, try to do some sort of vigorous aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes, three times a week. Simply walking at a brisk pace for 45 minutes, five days a week can give nearly the same benefit. For anti-aging benefits, exercise should not be continued to exhaustion.

Scientific studies have found that very strenuous endurance exercise, such as distance running, greatly increases the production of free radicals and may accelerate other aging processes in cells. Elite endurance athletes don't age any slower or have fewer wrinkles than people who exercise moderately, and in fact they may age faster.

There are many types of growths and discolorations that can develop on the skin with aging. You should check your skin all over with a hand mirror every few months. Look for any odd bumps, discolorations, or changes in a mole.

Many people dismiss all developing marks on their skin simply as "age spots". While most growths are benign, some are skin cancer. Your doctor can give you a brochure showing the most dangerous types of lesions to look for; there are also pictures on various dermatology websites. A quick appointment to have a your regular doctor or a dermatologist check a spot could save your life.

Removal of Skin Cancers

While all skin cancers must be removed surgically, usually this is inexpensive and relatively painless if it is caught early. If you wait even a few months, some types of skin cancer can kill you.

Even with a benign growth, waiting until it gets larger can result in an unsightly scar when it is removed. If you have it treated or removed early, usually there will be little or no scar after healing. Your doctor can also explain the various types of benign lesions to you and recommend treatments.

Benign, dark discolorations can be treated with bleaching creams, alpha-hydroxy acids, retinoids (such as Retin-A), curetage (scraping), freezing, or resurfacing.

Low-concentration hydroquinone bleaching creams and alpha-hydroxy acids can be purchased without a prescription, but you should see a doctor first to make sure the spots are benign. He or she can also prescribe stronger creams containing hydroquinone and tretinoin or you can alternate use of a strong prescription hydroquinone cream and an alpha-hydroxy acid. You must use a sunblock while treating dark spots, and in the future, or they may show up again.