Spots on the skin that are brown or brownish in color are caused by an increase production of melanin. Melanin is the substance within the skin in charge of color production for skin, hair and eyes. Sometimes called hyper-pigmentation, sun spots, age or liver spots the main cause appears to be from sun damage. The medical terminology for brown spots brought on by excess sun is called solar lentigines. They appear as flat brown marks that arise starting in middle age. Freckles are smaller, smooth brown spots that often become more pronounced in the summer and fade in the winter. Solar Lentigines generally are larger than a freckle and do not fade during the winter months. Occasionally the brown spots that appear on the face and neck are as a result of hormonal changes such as pregnancy and are known medically as melasma.
Several treatments ranging from topical creams to lasers are available to decrease or even remove the discolorations. While some over the counter products may assist in decreasing the color slightly, prescription solutions provide higher concentrations of kojic acid, hydroquinone or retinol to fade the area to the color of the normal skin significantly. Six months or longer is sometimes needed to see effects.
Microdermabrasion will gently scrape the top layer of skin away to slowly fade the areas of increased pigmentation. The severity of the problem will determine the number of treatments needed but at least 8-10 are needed for successful results. Chemical peels will also slough off the epidermal layers to decrease the brown discoloration. The depth of the peel will determine the number of treatments needed for clearance. Several laser treatments are also available to effectively reduce or remove hyperpigmentation. Alexandrite lasers, some pulsed dye lasers and intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments require at least two sessions to see results.
Whatever treatment modality is chosen, it should be noted that repeated sun exposure to the areas in question are contra productive. It is also important to distinguish between solar lentigines, which are harmless, from early melanoma. Any spots that have recently appeared, have more than one color, irregular borders or changes in texture need to be reviewed by a dermatologist. |
