Age spots, liver spots and solar lentigines, all refer to the blemishes that appear on our skin as we age. These brown, red, or sometimes nearly black spots are quite common in the areas of our body that are often exposed to the sun like the face, arms and legs.

The overproduction and accumulation of two pigments found in our skin, melanin and lipofuscin, are responsible for age spots. Melanin is the pigment that gives color to our skin, hair and eyes. Lipofuscin is often considered to be an age pigment, because its levels increase with age.