Liver spots, also called age spots and solar lentigines, age spots are flat, gray, brown or black spots. They vary in size and usually appear on the face, hands, shoulders and arms — areas most exposed to the sun. Though age spots are very common in adults older than age 40, they can affect younger people as well.

• Ultraviolet (UV) light accelerates the production of melanin. Melanin is the dark pigment in the epidermis that gives your skin its normal color. The extra melanin — produced to protect the deeper layers of your skin — creates the darker color of a tan. Age spots develop when the extra melanin becomes "clumped" or is produced in higher concentrations than normal.
• Most often, it takes years of sun exposure for these dark spots to occur — they typically develop very slowly over time. Using commercial tanning lamps and tanning beds can eventually result in the same changes
• In addition to sun exposure, simply growing older can cause the extra production of melanin and subsequent age spots. Genetics also plays a role in how susceptible you are to the development of age spots.

• Deep wrinkles.
• Dry, rough skin.
• Fine red veins on your cheeks, nose and ears.
• Thinner, more translucent-looking skin.

• Avoid the sun during high-intensity hours: The sun's rays are most damaging from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reduce the time you spend outdoors during these hours.
• Wear protective clothing: Cover your skin with clothing, such as long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed hats. Also, keep in mind that certain clothing styles and fabrics offer better protection from the sun than do others. For example, tightly woven fabrics are better than loosely woven fabrics.
• Use sunscreen: Apply sunscreen liberally 30 minutes before going outdoors so that your skin has time to absorb the sunscreen. Then reapply according to the directions on the label — usually about every hour.