Three women with different but even skin tone smiling

WHAT ARE AGE
SPOTS AND HOW TO
REMOVE THEM

As we age, our skin changes, and you may notice dark spots or patches of pigmented skin form on your face, hands, or other parts of your body known as age spots. The good news is you can treat and prevent them from happening in the first place.

Read on to learn about why age spots form, how you can treat age spots, prevent them, and more!

WHAT ARE AGE SPOTS ON SKIN AND WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE?

As you get older, you might notice small, flat dark areas on the skin. These can appear in brown, grey, or black spots and usually on areas exposed to the sun. On first impression, they may look like freckles, but they are often bigger and won’t fade.

These are known as age spots, as they tend to appear in people over 40 or 50, but you might hear them called liver spots (although they have nothing to do with the liver), senile lentigo, solar lentigines (as they resemble lentils), or sun spots [link to sun spots article]. Age spots can appear in a variety of sizes and can even form in clusters.

The good news is that age spots are harmless and won’t need medical treatment.

However, if you don’t like the way they look, you can always lighten them or get age spots removed.

WHAT CAUSES AGE SPOTS?

Your skin colour is caused by a pigment called melanin. Sometimes your skin can contain overactive pigment cells that cause an excess of melanin production, which turns the skin darker in the affected area. The more melanin produced, the darker the skin. 

The main cause of age spots is UV (ultraviolet) light, which speeds up melanin production. This is because the skin produces extra melanin to protect the skin from damaging UV rays (which also cause other signs of ageing like wrinkles). Over time, accumulated sun exposure can cause a high concentration of melanin to form in parts of the skin, resulting in dark spots.
It’s not just natural sunlight that causes age spots though, as commercial tanning lamps and sunbeds also expose your skin to UV rays. Hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause can also lead to an overproduction of melanin resulting in age spots.

Age spots can appear in anyone of any skin type, age, sex, or race. But they are more common in people aged 40 or over. This is not because ageing itself causes more melanin production, but after years of accumulated sun exposure coupled with hormonal changes accompanying menopause, these factors mean age spots are more likely to appear in older women.

HOW TO REMOVE AGE SPOTS

Although age spots are not actually harmful, you may want to get rid of them for cosmetic reasons. See our tips on how to remove age spots on your face and hands.

ANTI-SPOT BREAKTHROUGH FOR LUMINOUS SKIN

LUMINOUS630


Meet NIVEA’s breakthrough anti-age spot ingredient:

 

NIVEA LUMINOUS630® ANTI SPOT.

 

It reduces dark spots by blocking the enzyme that produces melanin in the skin. Meanwhile, Night Complexion Repair helps restore the complexion during the night, and Day Fluid SPF50 protects the skin and prevents new age spots from popping up while also reducing age spots.

 

LUMINOUS630

GET RID OF AGE SPOTS ON THE FACE WITH NIVEA

Follow our steps below to remove age spots from your face

Step 1

Use the NIVEA LUMINOUS630® Anti Spot Serum to reduce existing dark spots after cleansing your skin in the morning and in the evening.

Step 2

Apply the NIVEA LUMINOUS630® Day Fluid SPF50 after using the Serum to protect your skin against sun damage and to prevent new age spots from forming.

Step 3

In the evening, after using the Serum, apply NIVEA LUMINOUS630® Night Complexion Repair to your face, neck and décolletage to restore and repair your skin’s complexion.

HOW TO REMOVE AGE SPOTS FROM HANDS

A woman applying NIVEA LUMINOUS630 Anti Spot Advanced Hand Cream SPF15 on her hands

Did you know that your hands are one of the first places to show the signs of ageing? Your hands, like your face, are exposed all year round, but apart from a little hand cream when your skin is dry, you probably don’t think to moisturise and protect the skin here.

Like your face, your hands are sensitive to pigmentation due to UV exposure, so they are known to develop dark spots as you age, regardless of skin type.

Fortunately, NIVEA LUMINOUS630® Anti Spot Advanced Hand Cream SPF15 reduces and prevents dark spots with visible results after 4 weeks. The SPF15 helps to protect your hands from UV rays and further pigmentation and photoaging. It also intensively nourishes dry hands for 24 hours, thanks to its innovative formula enriched with Hyaluronic acid.

HOW TO PREVENT AGE SPOTS

Although you cannot always prevent age spots, there are a few things you can do to limit their appearance, like:

• Stay safe in the sun. It’s a good idea to avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the UV rays are at their strongest, but you don’t have to stay in the shade all the time to avoid spots as long as you cover your skin and/or use sun protection. It’s healthy to get a bit of sunshine, just take the right care, and you and your skin should be fine.

• Use NIVEA LUMINOUS630® Daily Fluid SPF50 on your face, NIVEA LUMINOUS630® Hand Cream SPF15 on your hands, and sunscreen on other exposed areas of your skin when out in the sun to help protect the skin from dark spots and reduce existing ones. 

• Wear gloves when you’re gardening or cycling so your hands are not exposed to the sun when you’re outdoors for a long time.

• Wear lip balm with SPF30 or higher protection, as your lips are also sensitive to damage from UV rays.

• Avoid using tanning beds, which also expose your skin to harmful UV rays.

• Take care around water, sand, or snow, all of which reflect the sun’s rays, increasing your skin’s exposure to UV.

HOW TO COVER AGE SPOTS ON THE FACE

If you want to cover and treat your age spots, try NIVEA LUMINOUS630®Tinted Fluid SPF 20. Simply apply a light amount to your face evenly. If you prefer, you could also use NIVEA LUMINOUS630® Tinted Fluid SPF 20 instead of Day Fluid.

Your skin looks its best when it’s as natural as possible. NIVEA LUMINOUS630® Tinted Fluid SPF 20 gives you light coverage, using micro-encapsulated colour pigments to even out your complexion instantly and reduce age spots over time.

A woman holding a NIVEA LUMINOUS630 product while smiling

WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE A DERMATOLOGIST?

Although age spots are not harmful, they can sometimes resemble certain types of skin cancer. If you notice any moles or dark spots that worry you, have them checked out by your doctor or dermatologist to be on the safe side.

FAQs ABOUT AGE SPOTS ON SKIN

 

WHY HAVE I SUDDENLY GOT AGE SPOTS?

Age spots can take time to develop and grow slowly over the years, or they can appear very suddenly. They mostly occur after accumulated sun exposure, but hormonal changes like pregnancy or menopause can also cause skin pigmentation.

AT WHAT AGE DO AGE SPOTS APPEAR?

Age spots tend to appear when you’re over 40 or 50. Despite the name and the age they appear, age spots are not a sign of ageing in themselves. However, the older you are, the more accumulated sun exposure you’re likely to have had.

Also, age spots are more likely to appear on a woman’s skin with the hormonal changes that accompany menopause.

CAN YOU REALLY GET RID OF AGE SPOTS?

After 10 years of research, NIVEA’s breakthrough age spot innovation LUMINOUS630®  works on a cellular level to reduce age spots. After 4 weeks of using products containing this ingredient, we’ve seen proven results that age spots are visibly lightened. After 8 weeks, the intensity is reduced by up to 80%.

HOW DO YOU PREVENT AGE SPOTS NATURALLY?

Age spots often form due to UV exposure or hormonal changes. You can protect your skin from accumulated UV exposure by using SPF protection, covering up exposed skin with clothes or a wide-brimmed hat, and avoiding tanning beds. 

Using NIVEA LUMINOUS630®  Day Fluid SPF50 will give you the sun protection you need while also protecting you from new age spots forming.

 

Age spots don’t have to be a part of ageing. Making sure you protect your skin from harmful UV rays by covering up, avoiding sun and sunbeds, using SPF and treating existing dark spots with the products containing LUMINOUS630®, you can live your best life without worrying about age spots.

Although age spots themselves are not dangerous, if you notice any moles or anything on your skin that you are concerned about, always check it with a dermatologist or a doctor.

DISCOVER THE LUMINOUS630 PRODUCTS

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