Are Age Spots On Face Dangerous?

Well, how many of you have already started thinking about the not, so pretty brownish spots on your face, that you think might be age spots?

Age spots are brown or black, flat spots, that occur on the skin in form of freckles or even bigger in size than that. They usually appear on the areas of the skin that are more exposed to direct sunlight. They are also known to people by other names like lentigo, liver spots or sun-spots. These are very different than the cancerous skin conditions. However, it becomes difficult at times to differentiate between the two. We have tried to make this easier for you by charting down the differentiative points for these two conditions.

On a short note, we can say that actual age spots are not dangerous as such. But, on very rare occasions there might be an underlying situation, which might need proper assessment and treatment. Hence, if you see your age spots changing in any way, be it shape, size or the feel, you must consult your dermatologist without wasting any time, and get yourself assessed to rule out any possible chances of skin cancers.

Let us have a look at what causes these age spots. While, the reason of the development of these age spots may not be known at times, there are several possible factors which may be responsible for their occurrence, apart from the obvious factor which is skin aging. It is an established fact that the age spots appear as a result of excessive production of a skin pigment called melanin and melanin is responsible for skin tanning. Therefore, anything that triggers the production of melanin can be a possible cause of age spots. Some of the possible factors other than skin aging are over exposure to sun and UV rays. Hence, no doubt that the people above age of 40 years, those who have a fair skin and those who are overly exposed to the sun are at a higher risk of getting age spots. That said, it doesn’t mean that others cannot get these annoying age spots.

Coming to the symptoms and diagnostics, age spots do not feel much different than the skin itself. Their color can be brown or black, they are closely spaced and they do not cause any pain or discomfort. The dermatologist can usually diagnose them on physical examination.

So, then what is the Treatment of these not so good-looking age spots? Well, as they are not particularly harmful, it is absolutely unnecessary to treat them. But, if one wishes them to be gone, as they might feel awkward on the face to some people, then there are a number of medical procedures as well as medicines and creams to remove or reduce them. Your dermatologist can guide you as to which treatment would be perfectly suitable for your skin type. Some creams will reduce the spots over time, while others such as cosmetics will conceal them up to a good extent. Techniques like chemical peels and dermabrasion can be advised by your dermatologist depending upon the severity of the spots.

While it is rightly said that prevention is better than cure, it has to be stated that it is not always possible to prevent age spots. But one can certainly reduce the chances of getting them by following some simple lifestyle changes, like avoiding going into the sun in afternoons and for longer period. It is a good idea to wear a good sunscreen of at least SPF 30, to shield you from the harmful UV rays. And better still; wear protective, covered clothing to avoid direct contact with the sunlight.

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