Liver spot
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Liver spots are blemishes on the skin associated with ageing and exposure to ultra-violet radiation from the sun. They are also known as age spots, lentigos, or senile/solar lentigines. They range in colour from light brown to black and are located in areas most often exposed to the sun, particularly the hands, face, shoulders, arms and forehead. In spite of their name, liver spots are not related to the liver.
From the age of 40 onwards, the skin is less able to regenerate from sun exposure and liver spots are very common in this older age group, particularly in those who enjoy being out in the sunshine. They have been known to proliferate in some individuals under emotional distress.
In the vast majority of cases, liver spots pose no threat and no treatment is necessary. In a very small number of cases, they have been known to obscure the detection of skin cancer.
Some people consider these spots unsightly and wish to have them removed for cosmetic reasons. This can be done by cryotherapy or laser treatment.
Some nutritional specialists believe that they are signs of selenium deficiency and suggest that taking colloidal selenium may make them disappear in about 4 to 6 months.
