Health Tip: Life Without Liver Spots

(HealthDayNews) -- As you age, you may develop blemishes called liver spots on your face and on the back of your hands. But you don't have to live with them, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery says.

Liver spots are defined, rounded, flat, brown or black patches of skin. The top surface layer expands with more pigment and makes what looks like a large freckle. Liver spots may develop at an early age; they are more common in older people.

The spots are not cancerous. Treatment is usually performed by the dermatologic surgeon in the office or outpatient facility.

These methods include freezing the skin with liquid nitrogen to remove the spots and skin growths, using a chemical solution to peel away the blemished skin, or sanding the skin slightly with a special instrument to remove the spot.

-- Anne Thompson