What does solar lentigo look like?
Solar lentigines (len-TIJ-ih-neez) are flat spots of increased pigmentation. They are usually tan, brown or dark brown and darker than freckles. Solar lentigines have oval to round shapes and vary in size. They usually appear on areas most exposed to the sun, such as the scalp, face, hands, arms and upper trunk.
Is solar lentigo raised?
What does a solar lentigo look like? It is a pigmented (usually brown), flat or slightly raised lesion with a clear defined edge. Unlike an ephelis (freckle), it does not fade in the winter months.
Is solar lentigo benign?
Related to sun exposure, these are benign (non-cancerous) lesions found on areas commonly exposed to the sun such as hands, face and lower legs. They are usually less than 5mm in diameter but may merge to form later spots. They may vary in colour from yellow, brown to black and may often disappear.
Is a solar lentigo a melanocytic lesion?
An unstable solar lentigo is a solar lentigo with areas of melanocytic hyperplasia not extending past the margin of the lesion. They are discrete, macular, pigmented lesions arising on sun-damaged skin and a subset of typical solar lentigos.
Can solar lentigo become malignant?
Lentigo maligna starts as a brown flat spot with an irregular shape that slowly gets bigger. Eventually the spot may develop into melanoma, a type of skin cancer that begins in the top layer of skin and then invades the underlying skin layer.
How big can a solar lentigo be?
Solar Lentigo:
They can be similar or large in size than simple lentigo ( few mm to > 1 cm) in diameter and well circumscribed with irregular border/margin.
Can solar lentigo turn cancerous?
Is solar lentigo precancerous?
Lentigo malignas may remain precancerous for up to 50 years. Lentigo maligna may look similar to benign (noncancerous) skin lesions, such as solar lentigo, or “liver spots,” which are harmless. If lentigo maligna is misdiagnosed as a benign or noncancerous condition, it may delay treatment.
Should solar lentigo be removed?
Lentigo spots (liver spots) are not cancer and are not dangerous. You can choose to have them removed for cosmetic reasons, but they’re not harmful.
What is the best treatment for solar lentigines?
Conclusions Laser therapy is superior to liquid nitrogen for the treatment of solar lentigines. Of the laser systems tested in this study, the frequency-doubled Q-switched Nd:YAG laser is the most effective.