What causes age spots?

Age spots on the skin are caused by the culmination of sun damage that has occurred throughout a lifetime. Most skin melisma is the result from sun damage including freckles and age spots.

Since age spots usually appear from sun exposure, they generally exist on the areas of the skin most often exposed to the sun. These areas include that of the back, feet, hands, face and arms. To prevent age spots from darkening, the use of sunscreen is helpful. The recommendation for sunscreen exists between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. local time daily during sun exposure. While age spots are generally harmless as health concerns, a skin specialist may remove them, for aesthetic purposes.