Age spots on the hands
Age spots, usually solar lentigines, are flat, well-defined brown marks on chronically sun-exposed skin. They are usually benign, but melanoma and other lesions can resemble a new or changing “age spot.”
What you may notice
- Flat tan to dark-brown patches
- Clear borders and an even surface
- Several spots on sun-exposed skin
- Gradual increase in number with age
Why it can happen
Cumulative ultraviolet exposure increases pigment in localised areas. Age reflects accumulated exposure rather than being the direct cause. Freckles, seborrhoeic keratoses and atypical lesions can look similar.
What may help
Sun protection helps prevent additional spots. Topicals, cryotherapy, peels, intense pulsed light or pigment lasers may lighten confirmed benign lentigines. Treatment can cause lighter or darker marks, especially in darker skin tones. Diagnosis should precede removal of atypical lesions.
When to consult
Have a lesion assessed if it is new, changing, irregular, multicoloured, bleeding, itching or unlike the others.
Evidence and sources
- DermNet. Ageing skin [Internet]. Auckland: DermNet New Zealand Trust; 2018 [cited 2026 Nov 7]. Available from: https://dermnetnz.org/topics/ageing-skin (new tab)
- DermNet. Solar elastosis [Internet]. Auckland: DermNet; 2023 [cited 2026 Nov 7]. Available from: https://dermnetnz.org/topics/solar-elastosis (new tab)
- DermNet. Solar lentigo [Internet]. Auckland: DermNet; 2025 [cited 2026 Nov 7]. Available from: https://dermnetnz.org/topics/solar-lentigo (new tab)