Signs of ageing might look different in different people; from wrinkles to age spots or even scarring in some cases. But when dark spots start appearing on your skin, it can point to more causes beyond just age. Most commonly, dark spots appear on the face, back of hands, back and shoulders. Dark spots or hyperpigmentation can be caused by acne scars, excessive sun exposure, or even hormonal changes and a number of treatment options are available to deal with these dark spots, depending on the causes and extent of the damage.

What causes dark spots to appear?
Dark spots are not always age-related and there are a number of other things that can cause dark spots to appear on the skin. These dark spots are not painful and are the same texture as the skin however, the intensity of the darkness of the dark spot might vary from person to person, depending on their skin colour.

1. Sun exposure can cause a lot of damage to the skin and if left unprotected for long periods of time, it can cause sunspots or liver spots to appear.
2. Skin discolouration can also be caused by certain hormonal changes. Hormones—both oestrogen and progesterone—can increase the level of melanin, especially during pregnancy, when hormones could trigger Melasma, a skin condition in which patches of skin turn darker.
3. Some medicines could also cause dark spots to appear as a side effect.
4. After some injuries and wounds heal, they leave a mark, a dark spot. Such dark spots might fade over time.
5. Certain illnesses and diseases can cause dark spots to appear for example in diabetics, or after suffering from a bout of inflammation, dark spots might start appearing on your skin.