Why are liver spots unrelated to the liver?

The term "liver spots" is a misnomer, as these marks have no physiological connection to the function or health of the liver. They are more accurately referred to as age spots or solar lentigines.12

These benign, flat areas of dark pigmentation are primarily caused by cumulative exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun rather than internal organ dysfunction. As skin ages, the production of melanin can become uneven, leading to these visible spots, which are a common feature of aging skin. The historical misnomer likely arose from a past, incorrect belief that such skin discolorations were linked to liver conditions or "biliousness," a misconception that persists in the common name despite modern medical understanding.132