Age Spots

Age spots are a common skin complaint, usually presenting themselves as brown or black patches of skin. 

Also known as ‘sunspots’ or ‘liver spots’, this hyperpigmentation area is often small, flat and circular. Age spots usually appear on people in their 40’s, and as their name suggests, it can be a typical effect of the ageing process.

The skin is given its colour from a pigment called Melanin, occurring naturally in the upper layer of the skin. It is due to an overproduction of this pigment that an Age Spot can develop. Melanin also has another job to do, protecting our skin from harmful UV rays emanated from the sun’s and responsible for causing the skin to tan. Exposure to the sun, as well as the overuse of tanning lamps and tanning beds, can stimulate the production of Melanin.

When exposed to large or lengthy amounts of UV rays, Melanin can be produced excessively, causing an Age Spot development. As this concern can be related to sun-exposure, Age Spots most commonly appear in places on the body that are primarily left uncovered, such as arms, hands, face, neck and shoulders.

Affecting anyone of any age, sex or race, Age Spots, or ‘Pigment Spots’ are not usually harmful. However, they can often cause the affected person to feel embarrassed by these if they are very apparent, leading to a lack of self-confidence. Some simple non-invasive treatments can help reduce the Age Spots’ visibility and restore the patient’s confidence to feel a little more self-assured in their appearance.