Dark spots on the skin can have several causes. In most cases, they do not represent anything serious, as is the case with the melasma and stains caused by Sun, through the age or by burning lemon. However, a dark spot on the skin can also be a sign of melanoma, a type of aggressive and potentially fatal skin cancer.
Among the main types of dark spots on the skin are:
⇒ Melasma: Brown stains that appear mainly on the face of women aged between 30 and 50 years. Melasma can be caused by genetic and external factors, such as hormonal contraceptive use, pregnancy and unprotected sun exposure.
⇒ Freckles: Small brown spots that appear mainly on the face, arms and shoulders. Freckles are common in fair-skinned people and occur mainly in places that are most exposed to the sun. People with many freckles may be more likely to develop skin cancer, so it is very important to use sunscreen since childhood, since freckles usually appear in adolescence.
⇒ Age-related stains: The senile spots are darker and larger than the freckles. They are more common in adults who have been exposed to the sun and appear mostly on the face, arms and hands.
⇒ Lemon burn: It occurs after sun exposure of the skin that had previous contact with lemon. At first, the site shows intense redness, while in the most severe cases bubbles may even appear. Then the dark spot of brown and gray color appears. Learn more at: Lemon Burn: What to Do and How to Deal?
⇒ Spotting after injury: After the healing of wounds, burns, acne and other skin lesions, a dark spot may appear on the site. These spots are formed by the melanin (substance that gives color to the skin) that has leaked from the cells destroyed by the wound. In general, these spots diminish over time.
⇒ Pints: They can arise in any part of the body and be present from birth. The spots can have varying sizes and a coloring that can range from light brown to black. A pint can also be a sign of skin cancer, so it's important to be aware of any kind of change in the shape and color of the spot.
⇒ Melanoma: It is an aggressive type of skin cancer that can be potentially fatal if not diagnosed early. The stain may have a varied shape and coloration and may not have relief. Dark spots with irregular edges that increase in size and have different shades of brown or black should be seen by a specialist as soon as possible.
The doctor / dermatologist is the specialist qualified to diagnose the type of stain and indicate the most appropriate treatment in each case.
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