Age Spots

Age spots are patches of skin which appear darker than the rest around it. They affect people of all skin types, but are more often found in adults – particularly those who have lighter skin.

Unfortunately, unlike freckles, age spots will never fade on their own. Age spots are most commonly found on the areas of skin which are most exposed to the sun such as; backs of hands, shoulders, upper back, face, top of feet. They are caused when the pigment within a cell is overactive, which often occurs during sun exposure. The leading reason as to why you may get them is due to sun damage as ultraviolet (UV) light speeds up the production of melanin (the pigment that gives your skin its colour). Therefore, skin which has had excessive exposure to sun or years of sun damage are likely to develop age spots over time.

Another cause of age spots could be from use of tanning beds, as you are still exposing your skin to harmful UV rays. You are also most likely to develop age spots if you have light skin or a history of extreme sunburn, but there are ways to prevent it! The main ways to avoid getting age spots is to limit your sun exposure completely. Avoiding the sun when it’s at its most intense time (such as midday) and wearing plenty of sunscreen (factor 30+) are the best ways to protect yourself from the sun. Or if you do go out when the sun’s rays are at their strongest, try to cover up or wear a hat.

There are treatments you can undergo to combat or manage age spots. As they tend to appear on the skins surface, having regular chemical peels, Superfacials, or Microneedling treatments can help to remove the top layers of dead skin, revealing new, fresh skin in its path.