Health Tip: Risk Factors for Age Spots

Dec. 10 -- (HealthDay News) -- Age spots, sometimes called liver spots, are darker patches of skin that can appear on the back of the hands, the face, shoulders and arms. Caused by an increase in skin pigmentation, they are most common in people aged 40 or older.

Here are some common risk factors for age spots, courtesy of Epigee Women's Health:

• Getting older.
• Too much exposure to the sun.
• Using a tanning bed or sun lamp.
• A family history of age spots.
• A side effect of diuretics and certain antibiotics, including tetracycline.
• Chemicals found in certain foods, including parsnips, parsley and limes.