How Brown Spots Are Linked to Aging and How Dermatologists Can Help
- posted: Jan. 04, 2025
Whether you refer to them as sun, liver, or brown spots, they're an aesthetically unappealing issue that may make you self-conscious. If you have them, you may wonder why you have them and your cousin and friend don't. They come from aging and the sun. Despite their cause, a dermatologist at Dermatology Center of Southern Indiana, located in Bloomington, Bedford, & New Whiteland, IN, can assist.
What Causes Brown Spots on Your Skin
Brown spots may appear on your arms, chest, back, shoulders, hands, and face — the parts of your body exposed to sunlight most often.
They're accumulations of melanin, which is the substance responsible for giving your skin its color. Instead of developing an all-over tan, the melanin is dispersed in a certain area. This is a benign condition, by the way.
Interestingly, they earned the moniker "liver spots" because they were thought to result from liver issues. Later, it was discovered that they have no connection with liver function.
Why They Happen With Age
As mentioned, these brown spots are also known as age spots because they happen as you age. This occurs due to all the sun exposure you had over time. Throughout the years, all the damage to your skin builds up, and with age, your skin isn't as resilient, making you more prone to them as you age.
The people who develop them most often are 50 or older.
What Other Factors Affect Whether You Get Them
Though the sun is the main culprit, certain factors make you more prone to getting them. For instance, just like with other conditions caused by the sun, if you're fair-skinned, you're more likely to develop it.
And if you've suffered from many sunburns over the years, your risk is also higher than someone who tanned well and didn't burn.
How much time you spend in the sun and/or a tanning bed also plays a role.
How a Dermatologist Can Assist
We have offices in Bloomington, Bedford, & New Whiteland, IN, where you can visit a dermatologist to provide treatment for your brown spots that'll lighten them so they better blend with the surrounding skin. The treatment options you have are all non-invasive and won't require downtime that takes you away from your everyday life.
With locations in Bloomington, Bedford, and New Whiteland, IN, the skin specialists at Dermatology Center of Southern Indiana can offer pigmentation lightening treatments to help lessen the appearance of unwanted brown spots. After your treatment, we recommend avoiding prolonged periods of sun exposure to maintain your results.
Call 812-339-6434 today to book an appointment.
- posted: Jan. 04, 2025
Whether you refer to them as sun, liver, or brown spots, they're an aesthetically unappealing issue that may make you self-conscious. If you have them, you may wonder why you have them and your cousin and friend don't. They come from aging and the sun. Despite their cause, a dermatologist at Dermatology Center of Southern Indiana, located in Bloomington, Bedford, & New Whiteland, IN, can assist.
What Causes Brown Spots on Your Skin
Brown spots may appear on your arms, chest, back, shoulders, hands, and face — the parts of your body exposed to sunlight most often.
They're accumulations of melanin, which is the substance responsible for giving your skin its color. Instead of developing an all-over tan, the melanin is dispersed in a certain area. This is a benign condition, by the way.
Interestingly, they earned the moniker "liver spots" because they were thought to result from liver issues. Later, it was discovered that they have no connection with liver function.
Why They Happen With Age
As mentioned, these brown spots are also known as age spots because they happen as you age. This occurs due to all the sun exposure you had over time. Throughout the years, all the damage to your skin builds up, and with age, your skin isn't as resilient, making you more prone to them as you age.
The people who develop them most often are 50 or older.
What Other Factors Affect Whether You Get Them
Though the sun is the main culprit, certain factors make you more prone to getting them. For instance, just like with other conditions caused by the sun, if you're fair-skinned, you're more likely to develop it.
And if you've suffered from many sunburns over the years, your risk is also higher than someone who tanned well and didn't burn.
How much time you spend in the sun and/or a tanning bed also plays a role.
How a Dermatologist Can Assist
We have offices in Bloomington, Bedford, & New Whiteland, IN, where you can visit a dermatologist to provide treatment for your brown spots that'll lighten them so they better blend with the surrounding skin. The treatment options you have are all non-invasive and won't require downtime that takes you away from your everyday life.
With locations in Bloomington, Bedford, and New Whiteland, IN, the skin specialists at Dermatology Center of Southern Indiana can offer pigmentation lightening treatments to help lessen the appearance of unwanted brown spots. After your treatment, we recommend avoiding prolonged periods of sun exposure to maintain your results.
Call 812-339-6434 today to book an appointment.
