Saturday, January 7, 2012

Some Considerations for Age Spots


Age spots -- flat brown, gray or black spots -- vary in size and shape but don’t change day to day. If you have flat, irregularly shaped black or brown spots that are spreading, see a doctor as quickly as possible. You could have melanoma, a type of skin cancer than can prove fatal without early treatment.
Don't Guess
You may find it hard to distinguish between age spots and melanoma, so don’t risk your health -- or life -- if you have any doubts about spots on your skin. See your family doctor or dermatologist. About 99 percent of people whose melanoma is treated before the tumor penetrates the skin survive. But 85 percent of people with advanced melanoma die, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Dark-colored spots on your hands, face, shoulders and arms could also be less serious types of skin cancer.
Age Spots
True age spots are harmless. They appear on the parts of your body with the greatest amount of sun exposure. They may look like freckles but can be as large as 1/2 inch -- about the size of a nickel -- in diameter. Age spots can overlap, which can make them appear to spread. They do not hurt and do not require treatment, although you can lighten them with bleaching creams or have them professionally removed if you are bothered by their appearance. Don’t attempt any remedies unless you are certain the discoloration of your skin is caused by age spots.
Skin Cancer
If pigmented skin anywhere on your body changes, it could indicate skin cancer. Other signs include a skin growth that bleeds, has irregular edges, is asymmetrical, changes in color or grows to a size larger than the head of a pencil eraser -- about 6 millimeters in diameter. Because the size and shape of age spots varies, they may be hard to distinguish from cancer. If your doctor suspects that discolorations on your skin are cancerous growths rather than age spots, he will order a biopsy. Many types of skin cancer can be treated by removing the growth. If you have melanoma, further tests may be conducted to determine if the cancer has spread.
Considerations
To reduce your risk of age spots and skin cancer, limit your exposure to the sun. Avoid the sun between the hours of 10 a.m and 4 p.m., use sunscreen and wear a hat and sunglasses when outside during the day. If you’re older than 40, get your skin examined by a medical professional once a year and, if you’re between the ages of 20 and 40, get a skin examination once every three years. Although melanoma is the rarest form of skin cancer, it is the deadliest -- it accounts for 75 percent of skin cancer deaths, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

 
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