Surprise: Age spots aren't caused by getting older. Instead, you can blame them (and nearly every other form of unwanted pigmentation) on what's become the 21st century's public enemy number one — the sun. "Sunshine is an attack on the skin, and one way the skin defends itself is to make pigment," explains Ranella Hirsch, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist in Cambridge, MA, and president-elect of the American Society of Cosmetology... A combination of chronic sun exposure, skin type, and hereditary predisposition. Liver spots are the yellowish-brown flat spots that look like large freckles and are thought to be caused by aging, too much sun, impaired liver function, and a dietary or nutritional deficiency. (NB: if you have irregular, dark spots that increase in size or change color or texture, have them checked immediately by a doctor. Tip: Be careful to apply it only on the specific areas you want to lighten. "Hydroquinone is bleach," says Dr. Hirsch. &
