What are sun spots on skin?
Sun spots on skin are flat spots of skin discolouration that are usually a shade of brown - from tan to dark - that develop on parts of the skin that are exposed to the sun, such as the face, shoulders, back, and the backs of the hands. They vary in size, and will often grow, although usually start off larger than freckles. Unlike freckles, which they are sometimes confused with, they won’t fade without being helped along by treatments.
What causes these sun spots on skin?
Your skin contains a substance called melanin, a skin pigment that determines the colour of your skin and hair. When exposed to UV light the skin produces more melanin in an attempt to repair the damage. The increase in melanin in the body turns the skin darker - that’s your tan. In other words, melanin is the body's way of protecting the skin from burning. Sun spots appear when melanin is produced in high concentrations - what is known as hyperpigmentation - in where your skin is exposed to high doses of UV light such as your face or hands.