Age spots are flat brown spots with clear edges that appear on skin exposed to sunlight over many years. Age spots treatment aims to lighten them noticeably and even out skin tone. Medically, they are called solar lentigines or senile lentigines. They are also known as sun spots or liver spots, although they have nothing to do with the liver.

They range from light to dark brown and from a few millimeters to a few centimeters across. They are not raised and feel no different from the surrounding skin. They most often appear on the face, the backs of the hands, the forearms, shoulders, chest and back.

Despite the name, age spots don’t only appear later in life. In people who have spent a lot of time in the sun without protection, they can appear from their 40s or even earlier. They are more common and more visible on fair skin.

The main cause is sun damage that builds up over the years. Ultraviolet rays stimulate melanocytes, the cells that give skin its color. Over time, pigment collects in certain areas and long-lasting spots form.

Factors that make age spots more likely include:

• Long-term sun exposure: Working outdoors, sunbathing and not using sunscreen.
• Tanning beds: Artificial UV light contributes to spots just like the sun.
• Fair skin: Skin that burns easily and tans with difficulty is at higher risk.
• Age: Skin renews more slowly with age, and sun damage accumulates.
• Genetics: Similar spots in the family.

Age spots are benign (harmless), but they are a sign of accumulated sun damage. That is why people with age spots are advised to watch their skin and keep up with yearly skin checks.

Age spots can be confused with moles, raised spots called seborrheic keratoses, or some types of skin cancer. Before any treatment, a doctor needs to assess what the spot is.

A spot with any of these features should be assessed by a dermatologist before treatment is planned:

• New: Especially one that appears suddenly later in life.
• Changing: Growing, or changing in shape or color.
• Irregular: Uneven edges, more than one color, or an asymmetric shape.
• Symptomatic: Itching, bleeding, crusting or a sore that does not heal.

Treating a changing spot with a laser or peel could delay the diagnosis of a possible disease. That is why, at our clinic, any suspicious spot is referred for a dermatology assessment before treatment. For moles, see nevus treatment.

Treatment is planned after the type, depth and number of spots and your skin type are assessed at your consultation. Sun spots removal at our Nişantaşı clinic may involve:

• BBL laser: BBL laser uses broadband light to target the pigment in the spot. The spot darkens over a few days, then flakes off as fine crusts.
• RedTouch Pro: Because its wavelength is also absorbed by melanin, RedTouch Pro may help lighten the look of sun spots.
• Chemical peel: A chemical peel renews the top layer of skin in a controlled way and can help reduce surface pigment.
• Home care: Spot-correcting products recommended by your doctor and sunscreen are part of treatment.

These methods can be used alone or together. If other types of pigmentation, such as melasma, are present, the plan is adjusted. For other types of pigmentation, see skin spot treatments.

For light and laser treatments, the skin is cleansed, your eyes are protected with special goggles and a cooling gel may be applied. A session usually takes 15–30 minutes, depending on the number of spots and the size of the area. Mild redness may follow, and most people return to their day the same day. Your doctor decides the interval between sessions and the method based on how your skin responds.

Treated spots usually lighten noticeably, though how much varies from person to person. Without sun protection, new spots may form in the same or other areas. Because the skin’s tendency to sun damage continues, protection after treatment is key to keeping your results.

To lower the chance of new spots:

• Use a broad-spectrum, high-SPF sunscreen every day.
• Reapply every two hours when outdoors for a long time.
• Stay in the shade at peak sun hours and wear a hat and sunglasses.
• Protect often-forgotten areas such as the backs of the hands, neck and chest.
• Avoid tanning beds.

Follow-up visits help spot new marks early and, if needed, treat them with a short session.