What Are the Brown Spots on the Skin of the Face?
Brown spots on the face are common, especially in aging skin and fair skin, and may appear in a variety of shapes, sizes, shades and textures. The most common cause is sun exposure. Does this Spark an idea?
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Considerations
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Always consult a dermatologist to examine any new or changing skin lesions to ensure that the brown spots are not cancerous or pre-cancerous cells. The face is the most sun-exposed skin area.
Explanation
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Melanin is the skin cell substance responsible for pigmentation. An irregular, overabundance of melanin in the skin causes dark spots, technically referred to as hyperpigmentation.
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Features
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The appearance of brown spots vary by individual. Fair-skinned freckled individuals, for instance, may experience a multitude of new small brown spots, or the darkening of existing freckles, after sun exposure. Other people may experience isolated larger, flat spots that darken over time.
Aging Skin and Sun Damage
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Aging skin is not the cause of brown spots, but its increasingly thinning and weakening texture will reveal the sun damage that has materialized beneath the surface. Age spots, sun spots and liver spots all refer to the brown patches that show up in aging skin, caused by its history of sun exposure.
Melasma
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Melasma is a skin condition that typically occurs in women during reproductive stages and is nicknamed "the mask of pregnancy." This condition is characterized by dark spots that appear on sun-exposed areas, most commonly on the face, and is only of a cosmetic concern.
Prevention/Solution
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A high-strength sunscreen is crucial to prevent further hyperpigmentation. There are a number of treatments to reduce existing brown spots on the face, including microdermabrasion, chemical peels and laser treatment.
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