Generally speaking, age spots fall into three categories:
- Cherry hemangiomas – These look like small red dots; they can appear anywhere on the body.
- Lentigines – These look similar to freckles; they appear where the sun hits your skin the most.
- Seborrheic keratosis – These look similar to warts.
Often times, the beginning stages of melanoma look similar to the three categories listed above, but if you catch it early enough, it can be removed with surgery. Your doctor may order a biopsy first to determine if the spot is cancerous or not before performing the surgery.
Here’s some potentially life-saving advice from Dr. Henry that will help you identity the differences between liver spots and dangerous melanoma lesions:
“We use a mnemonic called the ABCDE’s of melanoma to help remember those distinct, abnormal features,” she explains. “A stands for asymmetry – moles should be symmetric. B stands for border – the borders of moles should be smooth and even, not irregular or jagged. C stands for color – moles should be brown and one color; multiple colors, especially very black is concerning. D stands for diameter – moles should be smaller than six millimeters, which is smaller than a pencil eraser. E stands for evolving – any mole that is changing quickly should pique your concern.”
The Real Differences Between Liver Spots & Melanoma was originally published on blackdoctor.org
