Your skin is fragile and important in protecting your body. As you age, your mind may become wiser and more experienced, but your skin often deteriorates and begins to show the signs of your years. One of the most tell tale signs of aging is age spots. These unsightly skin blemishes can begin to cover your skin until all evidence of the beautiful, soft, and supple skin you had as a youth is gone. But what are age spots and what can be done about them?

Age spots, also called lentigines, are the brownish spots that often appear on your skin over time. The cause is the sun. Over time and as we age, our skin is exposed to more and more sunlight and therefore sun damage. While our skin contains natural protectors and shields against harmful UV rays, these begin to deteriorate over time. The melanin pigment in our skin that absorbs sunlight and protects skin becomes less effective. That’s because the sun damages the cells in the skin that produce melanin. The result is the brownish spots that dot your skin. So the cause of age spots isn’t necessarily age, it’s exposure to the sun. And a lifetime of sun exposure tends to result in spotty skin.

The best way to prevent against age spots is to avoid the sun and protect your skin when you’re outside or in your car. You may not think of driving as being in the sun, but the sunlight coming in through your car’s windows is still damaging. The windows are cars protect from some UV rays but not all. The best thing to do is to apply sunscreen to every exposed surface of your skin on a daily basis.

However, if you do develop age spots, there are treatments available that can help. Laser treatments, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, cryosurgery, and topical creams are all options that have proven to have some benefits.