Have you noticed any new spots or dots popping up on your skin? Some spots can have serious health implications that require medical attention and there are some, like sunspots and cherry angiomas that are usually harmless. Sunspots are dark spots on the skin due to sun exposure. Experts believe the development of cherry angiomas is usually genetic. Folks may want these spots removed or reduced using laser treatments. But what exactly are these spots? What do they mean, and how can they be treated?
Sunspots
Sunspots are linked to sun exposure, so often you will see sunspots on your hands or sunspots on your face. However, sunspots can also pop up on your:
Shoulders
Back
Legs
Stomach
Head
Neck
Chest
What Causes Sunspots?
Sunspots are also sometimes known as liver spots. Although experts used to think these spots were linked to the liver, it is important to note that this theory has been disproven. According to the Mayo Clinic, sunspots are strictly related to UV light exposure.
Skin that falls on the Fitzpatrick Skin type scale as a type 1-3 is more at risk for sun spots or solar lentigines. These spots are the body’s effort to protect itself from the UV light exposure. These spots can enlarge and darken over time.
People with skin types 1-3, a history of prolonged exposure to the sun or frequent sunburn, and who have a genetic predisposition are more likely to experience sunspots.
How to Identify Them:
New and unexplained dark spots on your skin can be concerning and should be monitored and checked by a medical professional prior to cosmetically treating them. It is important to be able to distinguish between innocent sunspots and something more serious. Some defining characteristics of sunspots are:
Flat
Tan or some shade of brown
Appear where sun exposure is highest
Usually appear around age 40 (depending on sun exposure)
Can be as small as a freckle or as large as ½ inch across
Sunspots Treatments
Some folks love their sunspots and do not consider them something to remove. Some people love being in the sun and no matter what treatment method they try, prolonged time in the sun will likely produce more spots.
Determining where you sit on the Fitzpatrick skin scale can help determine your best treatment options. While people can see great results in spot reduction, it is important to note that some spots may not disappear entirely.
Professional Treatment
Laser treatments utilize heat energy to target sunspots. The pigment of the spot (cherry angioma, freckle, sun spot) absorbs that heat, which causes the top layers of damaged and pigmented cells to fall away, revealing the fresh tissue underneath.
Cherry Angioma
A cherry angioma is a growth on the skin that looks like a red mole (it can also be blue or purple) but is actually made up of many tiny blood vessels. While there are several types of angiomas, a cherry angioma is the most common.
These typically appear on the:
Torso
Arms
Legs
Shoulders
What Causes Cherry Angioma?
Experts believe that cherry angiomas are genetic and often not a cause for concern. Cherry angiomas tend to appear around age thirty and can increase in number and size with time.
How to Identify It
Cherry angiomas are often confused with other angiomas, like spider angiomas, because these also have the signature red mole. The primary difference is that the cherry angioma is one single reddish mole, nothing else, while the spider angioma has thin red extensions that resemble spider legs spreading from the spot (hence the name spider angioma). In order to make sure you do not confuse one angioma with another, it is important to know what to look for. Some defining characteristics of cherry angiomas are:
Red, blue, or purple
Mole-like (can be flat against the skin or rounded above the skin)
A few millimeters in diameter
Cherry Angioma Treatments
At-home treatments are not recommended for cherry angiomas. Trying to shave, cut, burn, or freeze these dots is incredibly painful, can lead to scarring, and may cause infection. Some options for professional treatment are:
Laser treatment removes the angioma by delivering the right amount of heat to the angioma. The dot absorbs the heat and the top layers of skin that contain the cherry angioma slough off. Finally, new, healthy skin appears where the dot used to be.
Electrocauterization means using a tiny electrical probe to burn the angioma away.
Do You Want Your Spots and Dots Removed?
Cherry angiomas and sunspots are often harmless little marks that most people develop on their bodies, particularly as they age. Although you cannot prevent cherry angiomas, there are things you can do to prevent sunspots, such as:
Avoiding the sun between 10 am and 2 pm
Use sunscreen -- at least SPF 30
Cover your skin when you are in the sun
If you have spots and dots on your skin that you are interested in having removed or reduced it is best to have them looked at by a medical professional to ensure that they are not troublesome and then determine which treatment may be best.
At Mill City Laser, we offer our clients great prices for spot removal treatments. Our technicians are knowledgeable and will guide you toward the best treatment for your skin but will never pressure you to purchase additional services.