They get their name because age spots typically occur on both men and women over the age of 40. Though they have no connection to the liver, the dark, usually rounded brown spots that appear on the backs of hands and legs also are called liver spots. While there are a variety of reasons why age spots appear, none is typically life threatening and most people are mostly interested in how to erase or remove the unsightly signs of aging.
Exposure
Many of the age spots result from over exposure to the sun over the years. Without being protected by sun block, the skin becomes damaged and the cells die off, unable to slough and produce new pink skin. The skin pigment collects more heavily in the most often exposed areas of the body, including the hands, face and legs, creating the spots, also known as solar lentigines. Melanin can clump together, producing higher than normal concentrations of dark skin in various spots all over the exposed body.
Clotting
Blood tends to clot at a slower pace as aging takes place, creating pockets that do not break up so easily, leaving brown spots. The skin becomes thinner in the elderly, leaving these surface blood clots to appear darker.
Genes
Heredity plays a role in the development of age spots. People with lighter skin tend to develop the spots quicker than dark-skinned people. According to the National Institutes of Health, there is very little known about the development of age spots other than sun exposure and genetics. Spots that are irregular in shape or that change shape over time should be biopsied to find out if they are malignant signs of skin cancer.
Treatment
Age spots are harmless and do not require any treatment. For those who prefer to get rid of the spots, there are skin-bleaching creams available that can at least lighten the appearance of the spots. Freezing, or cryotherapy, can be used to remove the spots. Dermabrasion procedures can be done to scrape off the top layer of skin, reducing the dark appearance of the spots. Laser treatment is another possible treatment commonly used to remove spots. Most procedures must be performed multiple times in order to be effective.
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