Age spots, sun spots and liver spots are flat, tan or brown spots on sun-damaged skin. As individuals get older, sun spots appear on the top of the hands, chest, arms or face and other places which are exposed to the sun regularly and directly. Sun-damaged skin conditions usually occur when an individual has too much sun exposure over an extended period of time. They are usually more common with individuals who have freckles or who burn easily. The pigment in the skin, called melanocytes, produces an overabundance of melanin, which are triggered by ultraviolet rays. The vast majority of these spots are harmelss, but you may be at a greater risk of developing skin cancer. These patches are usually flat and they can vary in size from small dots to the size of a dime. The borders are usually irregular in shape.

Most individuals can avoid age spots if they limit their time in the sun and use sunscreen regularly. You may notice that you will not find patches on places such as your inner thighs because those areas get minimal sun exposure compared to other parts of your body. That is why it is so important to protect the areas that get the most exposure.

Even though there are ways of preventing or minimizing age spots, for some individuals it may be too late. If so, there are a number of treatments available. One very popular remedy has been laser skin resurfacing which helps to minimize the appearance of wrinkles, scars, lines and hyper pigmentation surrounding the eyes and mouth. It can also be used to treat areas on the cheeks. Laser resurfacing does not cause as much discomfort, bruising, scaring or bleeding compared to other cosmetic surgery procedures. Also, procedures such as micro dermabrasion and chemical peels only remove thin layers of skin. Laser resurfacing uses a laser to treat deep layers of skin.

The procedure is performed in an outpatient facility or, at times, in a hospital. An individual might receive general anesthesia for treatment of deeper layers of the face, and recovery time can take from a few minutes to a few hours. The doctor moves the laser over the area that requires treatment. The procedure may be performed in two or more sessions to penetrate deeper areas, but one procedure is most likely enough.

Laser skin resurfacing has minimal recovery time and in the end, the results can produce a youthful, fresh and rejuvenated look. The doctor will remove a layer of skin so that the new layer can thrive and fill in the wrinkles or spots. During the consultation, the doctor will observe your skin tone which determines the correct laser needed to eliminate your age spots. When an individual's face appears more rejuvenated, it likely improves that person's self-confidence.

People with darker-colored skin may not be the best candidates for laser resurfacing. Many individuals who are prone to scarring, are taking certain medications or have a history of skin disorders may not be good candidates for a laser resurfacing treatment.