Despite its misleading name, liver spots have little to do with the liver and more to do with senescence, the biological term given to the process of aging. Often found in humans starting at the age of forty, liver spots are superficial deposits of a brownish pigment called lipofuscin that are found on the skin. Lipofuscin is a naturally occurring pigment that appears both inside and outside the body and is a result of the body's wear and tear process. Both ultraviolet radiation and aging cause human skin to slowly lose its ability to regenerate, culminating into the brown or black blemishes called liver spots on the skin's surface.

Medically termed lentigos, liver spots measure up to one inch in diameter and can be found all over the body, but especially on surfaces of the skin that are often exposed to sunlight. This includes the face, hands, shoulders, and arms. Their appearance is similar to that of a large freckle.

In most cases, liver spots are not a sign of ill health and require no treatment, but they do tend to proliferate when a person experiences emotional distress. Only in a rare number of cases did liver spots pose a problem to health, in which the darkly colored blemishes have camouflaged the detection of keratosis, a precancerous skin condition that appears as scaly, red lesions. To reduce the number of liver spots, suggestions have included staying out of the sun, wearing sunscreen with at least a 15 Sun Protection Factor (SPF), and consume foods and supplements that are abundant in antioxidants, which slow down the cell damage process.

Some nutritionists have claimed that liver spots also appear due to potential selenium deficiency. However, selenium, a mineral that is naturally found in trace amounts in the body, can be bought as a supplement from the drugstore and can help diminish the appearance and frequency of liver spots within six months.

Liver spots occur in the top skin layer called the epidermis and thus can be removed by people who consider them unsightly and cosmetically unattractive. Through cryotherapy, a medical process that involves freezing the skin, or laser treatment, liver spots can be removed quickly and without side effects.