IDENTIFYING PIGMENTED LESIONS

You likely have at least one type on your body

FRECKLES

These speckled, flat brown marks most commonly appear on the face, across the nose and cheeks. Freckles are inherited and get darker and more prominent with

Sun exposure.

MELASMA

These light brown, dark brown or blue-coloured patches most commonly arise on the face. Rather than being caused by the Sun, these marks are a result of hormone changes.

LIVER SPOTS

Also called lentigines, these marks are similar to freckles, but are larger and appear on the hands and face. They are common on middle-aged people who have had years of Sun exposure.

MOLES

Moles are areas of the skin where there are high concentrations of pigment cells. They begin flat and dark in colour, but as people age they can become raised and their colour lighter.

SKIN TAGS

These lesions can be skincoloured or darker than the skin. Usually caused by skin-on-skin friction, they form on the underarms, neck, groin and face, protruding from the skin’s surface.

SEBORRHOEIC KERATOSES

An accumulation of skin cells in the upper layer of skin, usually on the face, arms or legs. They are caused by ageing and Sun exposure and can have a waxy appearance.