Contrary to their name, 'age spots' have, in fact, little to do with the ageing of your skin. Also known as 'liver spots', these are small patches of darkened pigmentation on your skin which arise from spending too much time in the sun.

Firstly, it is important that you take any darkened pigmentation on the skin seriously and have this checked by a professional to rule out anything serious. The good news is that age spots are harmless, however, and their appearance can be treated if they are in more visible areas.

As suggested by their name, age spots are more common in men and women above the age of 40. This is because, as the skin ages, it loses its ability to be able to regenerate from spending time in the sun's harmful UV-rays. The sun's rays speed up the production of melanin in certain areas of our skin and pigmentation increases in the areas which we call 'age spots'.

Whilst unharmful, age spots can be unsightly and many of us wish to have them whitened or removed. It is vital that you choose safe products with which to treat age spots as there are some chemicals which can be harmful to your skin. SkinAu's Skin Whitening Pack uses herbal extracts, such as seaweed, and safe chemicals in order to naturally slow down the skin's production of melanin. This allows age spots to lighten and turn nearer to the colour of the surrounding skin which gives us a more even skin tone.

SkinAu's Whitening Day and Night moisturisers are excellent products to choose as they are safe and effective. They work by restoring the skin's natural pH balance and using enzymes to allow the skin to return to its original colour. For the most sensitive areas of our body, SkinAu offers an Intensive Whitening Gel. This gentle product is a non-irritant for the most sensitive areas of the body which we may need to treat and is extremely safe and effective.

Of course, the best method for treating age spots is prevention. Being aware of how the sun can affect your skin from a young age is very important so that we can take the correct steps to protect our skin from harmful UV-rays. This can prevent the production of age spots later in life and allows our skin to retain its health and vitality.