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Does it seem like you have more and more freckles on you skin each time you go to the beach? You might be one of the millions of Americans over 40 years old who begin to develop 'age spots'. This article aims to inform you about how to identify and treat these bothersome skin blemishes.

First of all, you should know that most sun spots are completely harmless and concerns about them are therefore usually cosmetic. You should be aware, however, that most people cannot distinguish between a sun spot and a potentially cancerous growth. It is therefore of vital concern that you see a dermatologist to ensure that any sun spots you may have are not cancerous.

Because there are many different ways of naming the same thing, it's easy to be confused about age spots, sun spots and liver spots. No matter what name you give them, age spots cause the skin to appear damaged and years older than it is, making skin rejuvenation programs and creams to fade age spots a must. If you want to be able to work toward treatment options, you need to know exactly how and why these markings occur.

Sun spots, age spots or liver spots are brownish blemishes that usually occur on the parts of the skin that are typically exposed to the sun. Liver spots range in color and can even be blackish - something that depends on the individual case and skin tone. Sun spots are essentially pigments in the skin that have been damaged by the sun, causing the skin to look aged and/or worn.

The science behind sun spot formation

Sun spots are a result of skin sun damage. Over-pigmentation occurs when the skin's melanocytes - cells located in the epidermis - begin to produce pigments in excess, following too much sun. Melanocytes are responsible for the pigment production leading to the darkening of sun-exposed skin that we normally refer to as a tan.

When your skin becomes over-exposed to the sun, melanocytes can malfunction and produce too much melanin pigment. The melanin excess then causes the brown or red spots we know as sun spots, often leading to melasma as well.

Sun and age spots are mostly removed using simple but expensive medical and cosmetic procedures, or special aging skin care products. People who are concerned about the look and feel of their skin may want to look into the various ways of rejuvenating skin that has experienced sun damage. Among the most common age spot remover techniques list: Laser Surgery, Microdermabrasion, Chemical Peels and Bleaching Creams.