Causes And Risk Factors Of Age Spots

Location And Appearance

Age spots may develop anywhere on the body, though they appear most frequently in areas that have experienced the highest amounts of sun exposure, including the face, feet, shoulders, and upper back. Patients may also develop them on the backs of the hands and on the forearms, and they could appear on the upper chest as well. It is common for clusters of several small age spots to appear on the skin. These spots tend to be tan, brown, or black, and they might sometimes be gray. These spots are universally flat and round or oval in appearance; they are never elevated (raised above the surface of the skin). In terms of texture, the spots will almost always have an identical texture to the surrounding skin. At times, they may be slightly rough. The average size of an age spot ranges from 0.2 centimeters to two centimeters in diameter. Patients should monitor their skin for any new spots. If a new or existing spot bleeds, changes color, elevates above the skin, or increases in size, an evaluation should be conducted by a dermatologist. Any spot that is flaky, red, itchy, or painful warrants a medical examination too.