Dark blemishes that commonly appear on the back of the hands, forearms, neck, chest and face are known as age spots. These arise from excessive exposure from the sun, hereditary causes, or bad care for your skin. They can also be described as sun spots, liver spots, lentigos or lentigines. These generally appear as flat, tan, brown or dark brown spots. If you or anyone you know has a spot that have this description, see a physician immediately to determine if they might be cancerous and if there is an effective treatment available to decrease and diminish the appearance of the spots.

It is sometimes difficult to understand what may cause age spots from appearing on your skin. As you get older, your skin tone and youthfulness decreases, allowing for blemishes to increasingly appear in unwanted places, generally those of which have been exposed to the sun for a prolonged amount of time. Age spots are much more common in those who have freckles and burn easily. It is very crucial for you to know if you have had enough sun, to develop spots, and to constantly use sunscreen to thwart the condition from ever occurring on your skin.

Age spots generally vary in size, from a small pea to a dime, and are very flat in nature. Since they appear after prolonged sun exposure, the areas include; the shoulders, face, forearms, upper back and the back of hands. If you notice any sort of blemish, dark in nature that has the shape and look of an age or sun spot, it is important to seek immediate care. Although they do not call for any sort of cancer, having them are a sign of the type of skin that would be able to become cancerous. Many people do not even realize any blemish on their skin that might easily be recognizable as cancerous. Our daily lives can be so busy that caring for your skin often is thought of secondhand. It is very crucial to always be aware of the symptoms and signs, although minor, that can lead to something much more serious.

In order to best treat age spots, prevention is the method to go by. Avoiding the sun altogether is recommended or at least using sunscreen whenever you are outside. As an example, you will never find age spots in places of your body that are not exposed to the sun. For most of those who are older, it is much too late to prevent age spots from appearing on your skin. Thankfully there are several effective and safe treatment options available that will improve the appearance and allow you to feel comfortable in your own skin. That is something that we all want and need to feel secure and healthy.

Some treatments available are bleaching creams, chemical peels and laser resurfacing. Please consult with your physician before administering any of these procedures. Every person is different with different skin, some of which may respond ineffectively to these treatments.