Age spots are harmless, but you want to make sure you don’t confuse a possibly cancerous skin problems with a sun spot, says Joseph G Morelli, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology and pediatrics at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. For a suspected age spots-or any-spot or growth, for that matter-use the ABCD test, answering each question Yes or No.
- Shape: Is the spot asymmetrical?
- Borders: Are the borders irregularly shaped?
- Color: Is the spot multicolored?
- Diameter: Is the spot larger than the end of a pencil eraser?
Interprenting your Anwers
- Skins tumors, or melanoma, are often asymmetrical. They’re also often raised with irregular surface. Age spots are flat, and the surface of the skin is normal, except for the discoloration.
- The border or perimeter of a skin tumor is irregular, raised and clearly defined, as opposed to the flat, often poorly defined border of an age spot.
- Melanomas are usually multicolored. Age spots are light to darker brown.
- Melanomas are usually 7 to 10 millimeter in diameter, or about one-fourth to one-third of an inch. Age spots vary in size; some are larger than this ,and some are smaller.
If you had any yes answers, schedule an immediate appointment with a dermatologist to have your spot checked out. Melanomas are fast –moving form skins cancer that can be fatal, so don’t’ delay.
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