Lentigines

Lentigines, also known as sun spots or liver spots, are benign lesions that occur as a result of sun-exposer to certain areas of the body. Lentigines most often occur on the backs of the hands or on the face, and tend to become much more common with age, appearing mostly in the elderly.

How do they look? Sun spots, vary in look, however they are mostly brown in color and differ in size, ranging anywhere from the size of a grain of salt to a few centimeters in diameter. They are semi-circular, however not perfect circles.

What causes Lentigines? These lesions are caused by a marked increase in the number of pigment cells located in the superficial layers of the skin. A biopsy should be considered if a lesion develops a highly irregular border, changes in pigmentation, or changes in the thickness to rule out cancer.

Treatment Lentigines are usually benign therefore treatment is not necessary. For cosmetic purposes, some successful treatments include: cryotherapy, hydroquinone preparations (bleaching preparations), retinoid cream, chemical peels or lasers.