What are Liver Spots?
Liver spots, also called lentigines or lentigos, are sharply defined, rounded, brown or black, flat patches of skin. The epidermis (top surface layer) is expanding with more pigment, developing what looks like a large freckle. One may appear by itself, or as a few clustered together. Many people have a hereditary predisposition to them. While liver spots may develop at an early age, even in childhood, they are more common in older people, especially those who have spent too much time in the sun. ARE LIVER SPOTS CANCEROUS? The spots are not cancerous, nor do they lead to cancer. However, on skin exposed to the sun, they may be accompanied by precancerous scaly, red elevations of the skin called actinic keratoses. Dark spots, which might be cancerous, may also appear to be lentigines. All of these blemishes should be evaluated by a dermasurgeon. CAN LIVER SPOTS BE PREVENTED? Although nothing can be done about the role heredity plays, excessive exposure to the sun should be avoided – a pr
Despite its misleading name, liver spots have little to do with the liver and more to do with senescence, the biological term given to the process of aging. Often found in humans starting at the age of forty, liver spots are superficial deposits of a brownish pigment called lipofuscin that are found on the skin. Lipofuscin is a naturally occurring pigment that appears both inside and outside the body and is a result of the body’s wear and tear process. Both ultraviolet radiation and aging cause human skin to slowly lose its ability to regenerate, culminating into the brown or black blemishes called liver spots on the skin’s surface. Medically termed lentigos, liver spots measure up to one inch in diameter and can be found all over the body, but especially on surfaces of the skin that are often exposed to sunlight. This includes the face, hands, shoulders, and arms. Their appearance is similar to that of a large freckle. In most cases, liver spots are not a sign of ill health and requir
Liver spots (tinea versicolor) is a skin condition caused by a fungus. The fungus is so ‘normal’ that it is found in the skin of about 20 per cent of infants and in the skin of about 90 to 100 per cent of adults! Most adults have this fungus growing quite harmlessly and invisibly on their skin and, so, the condition is not considered contagious. It is mainly a cosmetic problem. Liver spots are not due to a liver problem. The fungus which causes liver spots is known as Malassezia furfur or Pityrosporum orbiculare. It is not known what causes some people to actually develop the condition, but we do know that some people who are immuno-compromised are much more likely to develop it. Dark skin Warm, moist conditions encourage the growth of this fungus. The fungus becomes invasive and releases chemicals which interfere with the pigment cells in the skin, and therefore change the colour of the skin. Pale pink, dark tan, brownish or whitish patches are seen on the skin, depending on the perso
