Age Spots/Brown Spots

Although the appearance of age spots might seem like an obvious indication of aging skin, they are instead our body's attempt to protect itself from sun exposure by overproducing melanin. Also called liver spots or sun spots, age spots are blemishes that range in color from dark yellow to black and locate themselves in exposed areas of the body, such as the face, hands, shoulders, arms or forehead.

Only occasionally do age spots pose a serious medical risk. They sometimes obscure detection of skin cancer, and, rarely, can indicate accumulated wastes or a bodily dysfunction.

Even when harmless, these blotchy brownish patches pose a tough cosmetic challenge that can make us look and feel much older than our years.

Conventional strategies for eliminating age spots include cryotherapy, acid washes, bleaches, pulsed light or traditional laser treatment. Too often such techniques will fade but not completely remove age spots.