Age spots

Age spots are flat, well-defined areas of darker pigment that show up where the sun has reached most often over the years: the face, the backs of the hands, the forearms, the chest and the shoulders. They are also called sun spots, liver spots or solar lentigines, and none of those names implies anything about the liver or about age alone.

They form when ultraviolet light prompts pigment-producing cells to release extra melanin in a localised cluster, and that pigment lingers in the upper layers of the skin. Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen is the step that keeps existing spots from darkening further and limits new ones. Tone-evening ingredients such as vitamin C, niacinamide, azelaic acid and retinoids are used cosmetically to soften how visible they look, but change is gradual and measured in months, not days.

Not every dark mark is an age spot. Any spot that changes in size, shape or colour, has an irregular border, itches or bleeds should be assessed by a dermatologist — skincare cannot diagnose. Retinoids carry their own cautions, including avoiding them in pregnancy, and exfoliating actives can increase sun sensitivity.