“What causes liver spots to form?”

Liver spots are changes in the skin color that occur in older skin. This due to aging, exposure to sun, ultraviolet light, or causes that we don’t know yet. They are not dangerous, nor cause any serious effect. Thank you.

The term liver spots that I am aware of refers to skin lesions called seborrheic keratoses. They are not malignant. They are a proliferation of the epidermis with increased pigmentation. They tend to run in families. They are usually removed if their appearance changes rapidly or in the way of clothing. Cosmetic removal for some reason is being frowned upon. Why? That is a question for a dermatologist to answer. It you have a tendency to get them, you get more the older you get. I would discuss further with a dermatologist.

RB Thomas,MD