What are Age Spots?
Contents
Age Spots
Usually tan, brown or black in colour, age spots are oval in shape and the size varies from freckle size to more than 13mm. It is also known as liver spots and they tend to develop on the face after the age of 40, indicating that the skin has entered its aging period.
Where do they appear?
Age spots on the face are commonly found on the sun-exposed areas, especially on the cheeks and cheekbones.
Causes
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Aging: When skin ages and it is further exposed to environmental damages, melanin is consistently produced to protect the skin. Hence, age spots are very common in adults over the age of 50. Nevertheless, it may develop on younger people too, especially those who spend a lot of time in the sun.
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Overexposure to sun: On areas of the skin that have been exposed to frequent and prolonged sun exposure, melanin is produced in high concentrations and builds up in these areas, resulting in age spots. Apart from that, frequent trips to tanning salons can also contribute to the development of age spots. The highly sought after sun-kissed look is actually the result of our skin’s natural defense mechanism to protect deeper layers of the skin from harmful UV rays, which are known to accelerate the production of melanin and skin aging.
Other Pigmentation Types
