Melanoma Age Spot
An age spot is a very common skin condition. Many adults have them if you look closely. Age spots can appear on any part of the body and are generally known not to have any negative impact health-wise on the affected person. An age spot does not lead to cancer. If you are concerned that a new mark on your skin may be cancerous ask a doctor to take a look for your own peace of mind.
Melanoma is also associated with the sunlight just like an age spot but the difference is that a melanoma leads to cancer. It can spread all over the body if it is left untreated. Before long, it can affect internal organs and it can be fatal if care is not taken. In actual fact, it is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. The possible danger found in this skin condition can however be averted if it is treated quickly before it starts spreading to other parts of the body and to internal organs.
Many individuals are finding it rather difficult to differentiate between an ordinary age spot and a melanoma. This is because the two of them appear in the form of brown spots on the skin. An age spot will have the same size and color & it will not change, but a melanoma tends to increase in size with time. A melanoma spot also has an irregular shape but an age spot has a rather smooth shape. You should also look out for changes in color.
In some cases, melanoma can arise from a pre-existing mole on the skin. A warning sign is that it can become raised over time, or change color. Another distinguishing factor that will help you to identify melanoma is that it can bleed once in a while.
Just like an ordinary age spot, melanoma is also caused by excessive exposure to the sun. However, melanoma does not only affected the older generation, it can affect anyone that exposes him or herself excessively to the UV rays from the sun.
If you have light skin as a person, you stand a greater chance of developing a melanoma, simply because your skin has less natural protection from the sun than those with darker skin. A cancerous or malignant melanoma needs urgent medical attention to be removed, follow-up treatment will also be necessary. Some of the treatment methods applied on the melanoma include radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. A biopsy needs to be carried out on the melanoma/age spot to determine its true identity.
If you notice any new marks on your skin, you should always find out what it is from a doctor.
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