5 things to know about lentigo

5 choses à savoir sur le lentigo

Generally benign , lentigo remains a source of stress and embarrassment for those affected. These brown spots are linked to skin aging and most often appear on the skin but also on the nails and mucous membranes. Here are 5 points you need to remember about lentigo.

Lentigo affects areas exposed to the sun

Like hyperpigmentation, lentigo or age spots generally affect parts of the body exposed to the sun, namely the face, arms, hands, neck, décolleté, shoulders and back. On the other hand, if pigment spots most often affect black and mixed skin, lentigo mainly affects fair skin. Indeed, the genetic heritage of fair skin promotes the formation of age spots.

Also called skin aging, lentigo appears with age if you tend to expose yourself to the sun. It is strongly recommended to apply a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 when you go out during the day.

An accumulation of melanin over the years

Ultraviolet rays are responsible for tanning the skin. They are necessary to maintain a beautiful complexion during and even after the summer. But over the years, the melanin stimulated by the sun accumulates in a localized way. This is why with age, this high concentration of localized melanin turns into an age spot.

You should also know that the production of melanin increases over the years. Thus, it is better to avoid exposing yourself to the sun for too long, especially when it is at its peak between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Always remember to apply effective sunscreen and shorten the exposure time when you get older.

They are homogeneous spots

There are many types of pigment spots . Lentigo is characterized by being homogeneous and can have a round or oval, flat or raised shape. Lentigines are also small spots of about 1 to 5 mm.

Then, these spots may turn a buff yellow to dark brown color. In any case, a spot of lentigo does not evolve. So, if you notice that your dark spots are increasing in size, look uneven or have an uneven edge, see a doctor or dermatologist.

There are several types of lentigo

It is important to know the type of lentigo that concerns you before taking any aesthetic or dermatological treatment. There is :

  • Senile lentigo or the famous age spot that affects all photoexposed areas and often appears after 60 years.
  • The solar or actinic lentigo or sunspot which can appear at any age, even from childhood and adolescence. It is due to excessive exposure to the sun which tends to weaken the solar capital of the skin.
  • Congenital lentigo or birthmark: these café au lait spots appear from birth or early childhood. They can be numerous but remain benign.
  • Lentiginoses are a set of lentigines often associated with heart, digestive or neurological diseases.

Lentigo can be corrected easily

Several types of treatments exist to correct lentigo. You can adopt our anti-dark spot treatments and our anti-blemish treatments which exfoliate the skin, regulate melanin production and correct pigment spots. But, you can also resort to other treatments like dermabrasion and laser to eradicate dark spots.

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