What Are Liver Spots?

Contrary to the name, liver spots have absolutely nothing to do with your liver. Liver spots, also known as age spots or solar lentigenes are flat, tan, brown, or black spots that vary in size and appear on your face, hands, shoulders, arms, and other areas of the body as you age. They start to show after age 50, but can also appear in younger adults and they’re most likely to be found in areas of the skin that are often exposed to the sun. They’re due to a combination of the sun’s ultraviolet rays and aging. Liver spots appear as a patch of skin that’s discolored and while actual liver spots are harmless, it’s important to have your skin checked regularly by a dermatologist if you find new spots. Additionally, liver spots, especially on the face, impact your appearance.

How to Prevent and Reduce Liver Spots

-Cover up. Wear a hat, large sunglasses, and clothing to block your body from sun exposure especially when the sun is at its strongest between 10 am and 4 pm each day. Cover up even if doesn’t appear that the sun is shining. -Wear sunscreen. Choose a broad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen with an SPF protection higher than 30 and reapply every few hours. -Choose a natural dark spot corrector Choose a natural dark spot corrector made with skin brightening ingredients like citrus unshiu peel extract and aloe. -Choose over-the-counter topical creams made with licorice extract. Licorice extract also has a de-pigmenting agent that inhibits the production of melanin. Sara Novak is a Natural Health Care Expert for Zax Health. Follow her on Twitter at @sarafnovak.