Age spots, also known as sun spots, brown spots, liver spots or lentigos, are flat, oval patches of pigmented skin. UVA sunlight stimulates your pigment cells called “melanocytes” to manufacture melanin – pigment of our skin. This is not only responsible for a tan but also for your unwanted dark patches. The common colour is brown, but they can also have a colour between red and black. These usually occur in adults, but younger people can also get them if they spend a lot of time in the sun. Age spots are completely harmless.