What are Age Spots?

Age spots, also known as liver spots, solar lentigines or skin spots, are dark, flat, oval spots that usually appear on the hands, face, arms and shoulders. They are most often found on people over 40, but can appear at any age. These spots are
black or brownish in color and are caused by aging, genetics or sun exposure. It is worth getting them checked out to make sure they are not cancerous, but usually they are not dangerous to one’s health. Age spots are most often caused by ultraviolet light speeding up the production of melanin to protect your skin. This usually happens with too much sun exposure or the excessive use of tanning beds. To keep from developing age spots cover your skin when in sunlight and use a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher. Age spots can be treated for cosmetic reasons by bleaching creams, laser therapy, cryotherapy (freezing), dermabrasion or chemical peels.