Hyperpigmentation, dark spots, manchas -- there are many names for those unfortunate, darkened patches that pop up on your face and body. Latin women are particularly prone to dark spots, which is why it has become the No. 1 skin care issue among Latinas. Not only is this skin issue difficult to treat in darker skin tones, there are also many ways that women unintentionally make their spots even worse. (Uh, super-manchas?) That's why it's crucial to understand why you get dark spots -- how they form, why they stick around, and how you can start to knock 'em out.

There are many indignities associated with aging. (Reading fine print and forgetting the name of the movie you just watched, among them.) But "age spots" don't crop up simply because you've gotten older.

According to Dr. Elson Lai, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist, the causes of what we call age spots are hormonal changes and sun exposure. "When [women] are pregnant, that's when they get a lot of 'age spots' or 'liver spots," he explains. (This condition is more precisely referred to as melasma, and can also occur as a side effect of taking birth control pills.)

If hormones aren't to blame, dark spots on the face are typically the result of sun damage. Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank, M.D., a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist based in New York, explains, "Radiation from the sun causes pigmentation on the skin, which is the body's defense mechanism to protect the skin from further damage." Older people have accumulated more sun damage than younger folk, which is why these patchy discolorations are associated with aging.

Another important thing to remember, says Lai: Dark spots, brown spots, liver spots, age spots and melasma are essentially the same thing, which is hyperpigmentation, or the presence of excess melanin in the skin.

When you're dealing with spots -- whether they're on your face or on your expensive upholstered couch -- it's human nature to want to scrub the heck out of it. So if you have dark spots, you might be going to town with your face scrub in an effort to minimize their appearance. Skin care foul! Although routine exfoliation is healthy for most skin types, Frank notes that over-exfoliation can actually darken existing spots. Why? Over-exfoliation can trigger inflammation, and hyperpigmentation is a response to inflammation. Think of the dark mark that you get from picking a pimple -- that scar is a result of the trauma of inflammation.

Try switching from products containing manual exfoliants -- like apricot kernels, whose uneven granules can be too abrasive for delicate facial skin -- to those with chemical exfoliants like retinol or glycolic acid. Chemical exfoliants speed cell turnover to reveal brighter skin -- no elbow grease necessary.

Think you can handle those harsh scrubs? Keep in mind that the pigment in dark spots is buried deep in the skin's layers. So when you're pawing away at your face trying to fade those dark spots, "You're just touching a superficial part of your skin," Lai explains. "Dark spots are usually farther underneath the skin."

Names can be misleading. Age spots? Not caused by aging. Lady Gaga? She's as much a noble as Sir Mix-a-Lot. And "brown" spots? They're not just brown. Spots can appear to be light or dark brown, gray or even black, and the color of the spot isn't necessarily an indicator of something more pernicious.

However, spots that change color or shape over time can be indicative of skin cancer. This is where that derm appointment is not optional -- it's a must. "Irregular borders, [whether the spot is] raised, color changes, how long has it been there -- all these are questions that they ask," Lai says. So if any of those attributes apply to one or more of your spots, or if you haven't had a routine skin check in awhile, hit up your derm.

So you have a darker complexion? Lucky you. While your fair-skinned sisters are much more susceptible to dark spots, those with darker skin tones possess more melanin -- "natural sunblock," as Lai calls it. If by now you think melanin is a bad thing, don't. "More melanin in the skin ... protects the skin from sun damage," Frank says.

But there's a downside to having a darker complexion: You're more susceptible to worsening your dark marks with improper treatment, says Frank. "Overuse of lightening products or the misuse of a laser can over-pigment the area and have the reverse affect if not used carefully and as directed," he warns.