Age Spots.
Solar Lentigo is more polite!
Solar Lentigo is more polite!
Age spots, medically known as Solar Lentigo and also referred to as liver spots (despite not being related to the liver!), occur on the skin after prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays or light.
Age spots appear as a result of overactive pigment cells. The production of melanin in our skin (a natural pigment that gives skin its colour) is sped up when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light leading to melanin clumping and age spots appearing.
Any person, regardless of gender, race, or age, can develop age spots. There are, however, certain factors that increase your risk of developing age spots.
These include:
Age spots are small, flat, brown (often light brown) areas on the skin with a well-defined and often irregular border and can vary from freckle size to about 1/2 inch.
Age spots appear on your skin in areas prone to prolonged exposure to the sun, such as:
How do I know it’s an age spot and not a mole?
I’m just 20 years of age and have lots of these!
There are other types of lentigo other than solar lentigo. The simple lentigo, for example, is a lentigo that occurs in a large number of people with light skin or red hair.
Simple lentigo develops in childhood or as a young adult and reduces as you get older. They are smaller than solar lentigo and are around 3-5mm in diameter. Unlike solar lentigo, simple lentigo may occur on any part of the body and are not sun-induced.
Gallery of Age Spots
Please click on the images for details.
It is not necessary to treat age spots since they are not dangerous and do not pose any health concerns. However, some people may wish to remove age spots for cosmetic reasons.
The ‘best’ cosmetic treatment of age spots depends on the number and size of lesions, location, and cost. There are 2 types of treatment options for age spots: Creams and lotions, which are required to be applied over a prolonged time or cosmetic procedures that tend to work faster but are more costly.
The surgical treatments available for age spots include:
If you are considering surgical treatment, consult with your doctor about the best option for you.
The only way to prevent sunspots is to limit prolonged exposure to UVA and UVB rays.
Age spots are one of the most common ‘good lesions.’
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