The most of age spots, called lentigines, are harmless.
The Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn., says the following “A, B, C, D criteria” should be used to determine if an age spot should be examined:
A — It’s asymmetrical.
B — Its borders are irregular.
C — Its color changes.
D — Its diameter changes.
“I’d say 99.9 percent stay benign. But there is a chance that it can move into the next stage and become precancerous,” said Dr. Daniella Duke, a board-certified dermatologist in Mystic, Conn.
Duke, who said the biggest misconception about age spots is that they can never become dangerous, recommends having a skin examination as part of your yearly checkup.
“Some primary care doctors do, and should, include the skin as part of the general checkup of all organs. Some don’t feel comfortable doing it and will refer the patient to a dermatologist if they’re asked about a skin condition. But, people should certainly have their skin checked every year. As the years go by, people will start to the see the cumulative effect of sun damage from years before.”
Dr. Michael Margulies, a board-certified dermatologist in Miami, Fla., suggests that anyone who is fair-complected and has lived in a sunny climate be seen by a skin specialist by age 35, then at least every five years afterward to check for signs of skin cancer. If there’s a history of melanoma in the family, the recommendation is to be seen first in their early 20s and then annually.
When you buy generic drugs online, you protect privacy and economize much time on unnecessary visits to doctor.