What are liver spots?
Liver spots, also known as age spots and solar lentigines, are flat, brown or black spots that occur on the skin when it is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. The spots typically appear on areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun the most, such as the face, hands, shoulders, and arms. Although they can occur at any age, they are most common in people over 50. Liver spots are usually harmless, but they may be a sign of skin damage caused by sun exposure, which can increase the risk of skin cancer.
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| liver spots |
Liver spots, also known as age spots, are flat, tan, brown, or black spots on the skin. They vary in size and usually appear on the face, hands, shoulders and arms - areas most exposed to the sun. These spots are most common in older adults, but they can appear at any age. Oftentimes, liver spots develop due to cumulative exposure to sunlight over many years.
Medical terms
- Liver spots are dark spots that typically occur on the skin due to aging. They are also known as age spots, solar lentigines, or sun spots. Although liver spots do not cause any harm, they can be a sign of sun exposure, which is why it's important to take precautions and protect your skin from the sun. Liver spots usually occur on the face, hands, arms, and other areas of the body that are frequently exposed to the sun.
- Liver spots, also known as age spots or sun spots, are flat lesions on the skin that range in size and color. They are most often brown, but can also be black or gray. Liver spots are caused by the accumulation of melanin, which is triggered by exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. As a result, liver spots can appear on any area of skin that has been exposed to UV rays for a long period of time.
Liver spots are flat, dark patches that appear on the skin due to changes in skin pigment. They are also referred to as age spots, sunspots, or solar lentigines. Liver spots usually appear on areas of the body that are most exposed to the sun, such as the face, hands, arms, and shoulders. They can range in color from light brown to black and are usually oval or round in shape.
liver spots if you:
Have fair (light) skin.
Have a history of severe sunburns.
Spend a lot of time in the sun.
Use tanning beds.
Symptoms liver spots
Ge spots may also have an effect on human beings of all skin sorts, but they're greater common in adults with light skin. Unlike freckles, which might be common in youngsters and fade and not using a solar exposure, age spots don't fade.
Age spots:
Are flat, oval regions of increased pigmentation
Are typically tan to dark brown
Occur on skin that has had the most sun publicity over the years, such as the backs of palms, tops of toes, face, shoulders and higher lower back
Range from freckle length to approximately half inch (13 millimeters) across
Can institution collectively, making them more substantial
When to look a physician
Age spots don't require hospital treatment. Have your doctor observe spots that are black or have modified appearance. These modifications can be signs of cancer, an extreme shape of pores and skin cancer.
It's high-quality to have any new skin changes evaluated via a doctor, especially if a gap:
Is black
Is increasing in size
Has an irregular border
Has an unusual combination of colors
Is bleeding
Causes liver spots
Age spots are resulting from overactive pigment cells. Ultraviolet (UV) mild hastens the manufacturing of melanin, a herbal pigment that gives skin its shade. On pores and skin that has had years of solar exposure, age spots seem when melanin will become clumped or is produced in high concentrations.
Use of industrial tanning lamps and beds also can cause age spots.
Risk liver spots
You is probably more likely to increase age spots if you:
Have light skin
Have a records of frequent or intense sun exposure or sunburn
Prevention liver spots
To assist avoid age spots and new spots after remedy, observe those pointers for restricting your solar exposure:
Avoid the sun at 10 a.M. And a couple of p.M. Because the solar's rays are maximum severe throughout this time, try to schedule outside sports for other times of the day.
Use sunscreen. Fifteen to half-hour earlier than going outside, follow a large-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection element (SPF) of at least 30. Apply sunscreen generously, and reapply every two hours — or extra often in case you're swimming or perspiring.
Cover up. For protection from the sun, put on tightly woven clothing that covers your arms and legs and a huge-brimmed hat, which provides greater safety than does a baseball cap or golf visor.
Consider sporting apparel designed to provide solar safety. Look for clothes classified with an ultraviolet safety component (UPF) of 40 to 50 to get high-quality protection.
What do liver spots look like?
Liver spots are flat, round or oval patches that range in color from tan to brown to black. They most often occur on the face, arms, hands, and feet as a result of sun exposure. They are considered harmless and are generally painless, although they may sometimes be itchy. The size of liver spots can vary and they typically do not cause any health issues.
Liver spots are dark marks on the skin which are usually flat and round. They are usually more common on people with lighter skin, though they can appear on darker skin as well. The marks can be found on the face, hands, shoulders and arms, and are caused by sun exposure over time. They are harmless and can range in size from a freckle to a half-inch in diameter.
Liver spots may additionally:
Appear in your face, palms, neck or fingers.
Be dark brown or tan.
Group in a single spot, similar to a patch of freckles.
Look like flat, circular or oval patches.
Range from the scale of a freckle to about half an inch extensive.
Diagnosis liver spots
Diagnosing age spots would possibly consist of:
Visual inspection. Your health practitioner can commonly diagnose age spots with the aid of looking at your skin. It's crucial to differentiate age spots from other skin issues because the treatments differ and the use of the wrong method can also delay different wanted remedies.
Skin biopsy. Your health practitioner would possibly do different tests, consisting of getting rid of a small sample of skin for an exam in a lab (skin biopsy). This can help distinguish an age spot from different situations, including lentigo maligna, a form of pores and skin cancer. A skin biopsy is commonly executed in a doctor's office, using a local anesthetic.
Treatment liver spots
If you want your age spots to be much less important, treatments are available to lighten or take away them. Because the pigment is positioned at the bottom of the epidermis — the topmost layer of pores and skin — any treatments intended to lighten the age spots have to penetrate this layer of pores and skin.
Age spot treatments include:
Medications. Applying prescription bleaching lotions (hydroquinone) alone or with retinoids (tretinoin) and a moderate steroid would possibly regularly fade the spots over several months. The treatments might motivate transient itching, redness, burning or dryness.
Laser and intense pulsed light. Some laser and extreme pulsed mild healing procedures break melanin-generating cells (melanocytes) without unfavorable the skin's floor. These approaches usually require two to three periods. Wounding (ablative) lasers get rid of the pinnacle layer of skin (dermis).
Freezing (cryotherapy). This manner treats the spot via the usage of a cotton-tipped swab to apply liquid nitrogen for 5 seconds or less. This destroys the extra pigment. As the location heals, the pores and skin appear lighter. Spray freezing can be used on a small grouping of spots. The remedy might also temporarily worsen the skin and poses a moderate chance of everlasting scarring or discoloration.
Dermabrasion. Dermabrasion sands down the surface layer of pores and skin with a hastily rotating brush. New skin grows in its region. You might also want to undergo the process greater than once. Possible facet consequences encompass transient redness, scabbing and swelling. It may take several months for pinkness to fade.
Microdermabrasion. Microdermabrasion is a much less competitive technique than dermabrasion. It leaves moderate pores and skin blemishes with a smoother appearance. You'll want a chain of techniques over months to get modest, temporary consequences. You may also word a mild redness or stinging sensation on the dealt with regions. If you have rosacea or tiny purple veins on your face, this approach may make the circumstance worse.
Chemical peel. This approach includes applying a chemical way to the pores and skin to eliminate the top layers. New, smoother skin forms to take its vicinity. Possible side outcomes consist of scarring, contamination, and lightening or darkening of skin color. Redness lasts as much as numerous weeks. You may want numerous remedies before you observe any results.
- Skin grafting transplant
Lifestyle and domestic remedies
Many non-prescription fade creams and lotions for lightening age spots are available for sale. These might also improve the appearance of age spots, depending on how darkish the spots are and how often you practice the cream. You may need to use this type of product often for numerous weeks or months earlier than you note consequences.
If you want to try an over-the-counter fade cream, pick one which includes hydroquinone, glycolic acid or kojic acid. Some merchandise, in particular those which include hydroquinone, might also motivate skin irritation.
You can also practice make-up to help make age spots much less substantive.
Preparing in your appointment
You're likely to begin via seeing your number one care health practitioner, who might also then refer you to a dermatologist.
Your health practitioner is probably to ask you some of questions, along with:
When did you first word the spots in your skin?
Did the spots seem steady or quick?
Have you observed other modifications in the advent of your skin?
Is the situation itchy, soft or in any other case bothersome?
Have you experienced common or severe sunburns?
How regularly are you exposed to the sun or UV radiation?
Do you regularly shield your pores and skin from UV radiation?
What sort of sun protection do you use?
Do you have a circle of relatives records of age spots or skin cancer?
What medicines do you take?
Questions you could need to invite your medical doctor consist of:
What suspicious changes in my pores and skin have I looked for?
If the spots are age spots, what can I do to enhance the appearance of my pores and skin?
Do treatments lead them to leave completely, or do they simply lighten the age spots?
Could those spots grow to be pores and skin cancer?
General summary
Liver spots, also known as age spots, are small, flat spots that are light brown or black in color. They are typically found on the face, arms, hands, and other areas of the body that are exposed to the sun. These spots do not cause pain or any other symptoms, but they can be unsightly and cause some people to be self-conscious. Liver spots are caused by an accumulation of melanin and are more common in individuals over the age of 40, though they can appear earlier in life.
Liver spots, or age spots, are flat, gray or brown spots that usually occur on the skin of the hands and face. They usually appear as a person ages and can range from the size of a freckle to a few centimeters in diameter. Other common locations for age spots are the shoulders, arms, forehead and scalp. Age spots are benign, meaning they are harmless and do not require any medical treatment.
Liver spots, also known as age spots, are flat, dark spots on the skin. They are caused by sun exposure, and they can vary in size and color. They are most commonly found on the face, arms, hands, shoulders and legs as these areas receive the most sun exposure. Liver spots typically appear in people over the age of 50, but they can occur in younger people as well.