How to Treat Age Spots Without Damaging Your Skin

—Yifei Fang—Getty Images If your face, arms, or hands have started accumulating age spots, you may be wondering whether you can safely fade—or completely remove—them.

The answer is probably yes.

But before you start trying to erase anything, see a dermatologist .

What people casually call an “age spot” could be one of several different skin changes , some of which require medical attention rather than a brightening serum.

“The most important point is not to treat the words ‘age spot’ as a diagnosis,” says Dr.

Erum Ilyas, a board-certified dermatologist in King of Prussia, Pa.

“Before focusing on how to fade or remove a spot, first make sure you know what you’re treating.” Here’s how dermatologists recommend identifying age spots, treating them, and preventing more from appearing.

First, make sure it’s actually an age spot A true age spot, also known as a solar lentigo , is a harmless patch of excess pigment often caused by cumulative exposure.

It’s usually flat, evenly tan or brown, and has a smooth, well-defined border, says Dr.

Rebecca Dufner, a board-certified dermatologist in Plano, Texas.

It also tends to “sit there quietly year after year.” But people often use “age spot” to describe all sorts of marks that become more common over time.

These can include seborrheic keratoses , which are benign growths that may look raised, waxy, or “stuck on,” as well as actinic keratoses , precancerous growths that are often rough or scaly.

More concerningly, certain skin cancers —including melanoma—can resemble an ordinary brown spot.

That’s why it’s important to have a dermatologist examine your spots before cosmetically treating them, particularly if you’ve never had them checked.