You may have noticed them first after the summer, or they may have crept up silently and persistently over the years – age spots. These small pigment changes on the skin are not pathological, but they can still take a toll on your self-confidence, especially if they appear on your face or hands, which you can’t just hide under a sweater. In the flood of filters, serums and miracle creams, it’s natural to look for ways to get rid of them. But before we try to erase them like a wrong line of eyeliner, it’s important to understand why they’re there – and what they’re actually telling us.