Age Spots vs. Sun Spots vs. Melasma: How to Tell the Difference
Dark patches on your face or hands all look alike at first glance, but they aren’t the same, and they don’t respond to the same treatments. Here’s how to tell age spots, sun spots, and melasma apart, and what to do about each.
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First, a clarification: age spots and sun spots
In everyday use, age spots and sun spots usually mean the same thing. Their medical name is solar lentigines. They’re called age spots because they appear as we get older, and sun spots because years of sun exposure cause them. A few related terms get mixed in (liver spots, freckles), but for treatment purposes, age spots and sun spots are usually treated together.
Melasma is different; the AAD explains its causes and triggers. So is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), the dark mark left after a pimple or injury, which Cleveland Clinic covers in its overview.
Side-by-side comparison
| Age / sun spots | Melasma | PIH |
Look | Small, flat, well-defined tan to brown spots | Larger, blotchy, symmetrical patches | Dark mark where skin was inflamed |
Where | Face, chest, hands, shoulders | Cheeks, forehead, upper lip, jawline | Anywhere skin was irritated |
Main cause | Cumulative sun exposure | Hormones plus sun, light, and heat | Inflammation (acne, rash, injury) |
Pattern | Scattered, uneven | Mirror-image on both sides | Matches the original spot |
Tends to… | Persist; new ones can form | Flare and fade, can return | Fade slowly over time |
Best approach | Peels, targeted treatments, SPF | Gentle, multi-step plan, strict sun protection | Time, SPF, gentle exfoliation |
How to tell them apart
Size and edges. Sun spots have clear borders. Melasma has diffuse edges.
Symmetry. Melasma often mirrors itself on both cheeks.
History. Pregnancy, hormones, or birth control point to melasma. A past breakout points to PIH.
Location. Hands and chest suggest sun spots. Melasma tends to stay on the face.
Depth. The pigment can sit at different layers, which is why imaging helps.
Our Aura 3D Skin Analysis ($120) shows sun damage and pigment below the surface so we can tell what you really have. Read also sun damage you can’t see.
Treatment options at Dixi’s MediSpa
For age and sun spots
Chemical peels: VI Peel, BioRePeel, and TCA. Plans typically run 3–6 treatments, about 4 weeks apart. The AAD explains what can get rid of age spots.
Microneedling for overall skin quality.
Compare microneedling vs. laser for sun spots and read about fading sun spots with the plasma pen.
For melasma
A gentler approach: peels chosen carefully, and microneedling with exosomes and tranexamic acid, which is designed to brighten pigment. Heat-based treatments can worsen melasma in some people. Full details in the melasma complete guide.
For PIH
Time and sun protection do most of the work, and gentle peels can speed fading.
One rule for all three: sun protection
No treatment holds without daily broad-spectrum sunscreen (see the AAD on how to select a sunscreen). Reapply, and add a hat. For melasma, a tinted mineral sunscreen can help against visible light.
When to see a dermatologist first
Have a doctor look at any spot that is new, changing, growing, bleeding, itchy, irregularly shaped, multi-colored, or darker than others. Don’t treat a spot cosmetically until you know it’s benign. The AAD’s ABCDEs of melanoma are a good starting checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Are age spots and sun spots the same?
Usually yes. Both usually refer to solar lentigines.
Can sun spots turn into melasma?
No, they are separate conditions, though both worsen with sun exposure.
Do sun spots go away on their own?
Rarely. They tend to persist, and treatment can fade them.
Which treatment is best for dark spots?
It depends on the type and your skin tone. A skin analysis helps pick the right one.
Book a skin analysis in Shreveport
Dixi’s MediSpa, Shreveport, LA 8575 Business Park Dr, Suite 4, Shreveport, LA 71105 ·
(318) 734-7086
Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–5:00 PM · Sat 9:00 AM–2:00 PM
(every other Saturday, by appointment only)
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