Health Tip: Help Prevent Liver Spots

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(HealthDay News) -- Those dark patches of skin known as liver spots usually don't indicate anything dangerous. A typical sign of aging, they have nothing to do with the liver.

Most often, liver spots occur on areas of skin that have had the greatest exposure to the sun.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers these suggestions that can help protect your skin from sun damage and prevent liver spots:

• Cover the skin as much as is comfortable with clothing, and wear a wide-brimmed hat to help shield the face.
• Wear sunglasses to shield your eyes.
• Stay out of the sun during the middle of the day when the sun's rays are strongest.
• Apply sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 or more.
• Use sunscreen even during winter months, and rub it into skin 30 minutes before heading outdoors. Reapply throughout the day.

-- Diana Kohnle

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