Causes of Brown Skin Spots

Brown skin spots occur naturally on the skin, because of age, too much exposure to the sun or just plain luck. It is rarely indicative of skin cancer. Brown skin spots cause cosmetic distress for women, but they are medically safe and do not harm the body.

Significance

Brown skin spots signify too much sun exposure to the darkened area. Sun exposure causes the skin to produce more melatonin, resulting in a darkened circle of skin.

Misconceptions

It is a myth that brown skin spots are caused by old age. Brown skin spots are also not caused by poor skin management.

Identification

Brown skin spots are tan to dark brown in appearance, often appearing in circular clusters on the skin. The color is caused by how much sun is exposed on the skin.

Size

Brown skin spots are only 1mm to 5mm in diameter. The size increases if more melatonin is collected around the skin area.

Effects

Brown skin spots cause the skin to look blotchy, freckled or uneven. It does not harm the skin medically, although many choose to remove it for cosmetic reasons.

Resources

• Discovery Health: When Dark Spots Destroy Your Skin's Even Tone