Age spots are harmless, flat darkly coloured spots that commonly occur after the age of 40, although they can also appear on younger people. They are caused by a number of factors including hormones, excessive sun exposure, and genetics. They are found most commonly on the face, hands and chest.
Science: Age spots are the result of an excess production of melanin (the substance that gives skin it’s colour). It is thought that in aging skin the melanocytes die and cannot be removed by the body. This caused the to accumulate and aggregate into brown/black spots in the upper layers of the skin.