Question: I am a woman in my 70s and I have some really unsightly liver spots on my arms. What are my options to get them removed?

Dr. Hibberd's answer:
Age spots — also called liver spots and solar lentigines — are flat gray, brown or black spots that vary in size and usually appear on the face, hands, shoulders and arms — areas most exposed to the sun. Though age spots are very common in adults older than age 40, they can affect younger people as well.
True age spots are harmless and don't need treatment, but they can look like cancerous growths. For cosmetic reasons, age spots can be lightened with skin-bleaching products or removed. Treatments with a laser typically require several sessions. After treatment, age spots fade gradually over several weeks or months. Laser therapy has few side effects, but it may result in slight discoloration of the skin. Freezing or cryotherapy involves applying liquid nitrogen or another freezing agent to the age spots to destroy the extra pigment. As the area heals, the skin appears lighter. Dermabrasion sands down (planing) the surface layer of your skin with a rapidly rotating brush. This procedure removes the skin surface, and a new layer of skin grows in its place. Using acid on age spots as a chemical peel can burn the outer layer of your skin, and lighten it. All these treatments must be done by a dermatologist or other health professional.