- Liver spot
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Liver spot Classification and external resources ICD-10 L81.4 ICD-9 709.09 DiseasesDB 34327 MedlinePlus 001141 eMedicine derm/221 MeSH D007911 Liver spots (also known as "Solar lentigo",[1] "Lentigo senilis"[1]:686, "Old age spot,"[2] "Senile freckle"[2]) are blemishes on the skin associated with aging and exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. They range in color from light brown to red or black and are located in areas most often exposed to the sun, particularly the hands, face, shoulders, arms and forehead, and the scalp if bald.
The spots derive their name from the fact that they were once incorrectly believed to be caused by liver problems, they are physiologically unrelated to the liver, save for a similar color.[3] From the age of 40 onward the skin is less able to regenerate from sun exposure, and liver spots are very common in this age group, particularly in those who spend time in the sun.
In the vast majority of cases, liver spots pose no threat and require no treatment, though they occasionally have been known to obscure the detection of skin cancer. However, despite being a benign condition, liver spots are sometimes considered unsightly and some people choose to have them removed. This can be done by electrosurgery, laser treatment, or cryotherapy.
See also
- Freckle
- Lentigo
- List of cutaneous conditions
References
- ^ a b James, William D.; Berger, Timothy G.; et al. (2006). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: clinical Dermatology. Saunders Elsevier. ISBN 0-7216-2921-0.
- ^ a b Rapini, Ronald P.; Bolognia, Jean L.; Jorizzo, Joseph L. (2007). Dermatology: 2-Volume Set. St. Louis: Mosby. pp. 1716–17. ISBN 1-4160-2999-0.
- ^ Karen J. Carlson, Stephanie A. Eisenstat, Terra Diane Ziporyn, The new Harvard guide to women's health, Harvard University Press, 2004, p.337.
External links
Pigmentation disorders/Dyschromia (L80–L81, 709.0) Hypo-/
leucismLoss of melanocytesvitiligo: Quadrichrome vitiligo · Vitiligo ponctué · syndromic (Alezzandrini syndrome · Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada syndrome)
melanocyte development: Piebaldism · Waardenburg syndrome · Tietz syndromeLoss of melanin/
amelanismalbinism: Oculocutaneous albinism · Ocular albinism
melanosome transfer: Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome · Chédiak–Higashi syndrome · Griscelli syndrome (Elejalde syndrome · Griscelli syndrome type 2 · Griscelli syndrome type 3)
other: Cross syndrome · ABCD syndrome · Albinism–deafness syndrome · Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis · Phylloid hypomelanosis · Progressive macular hypomelanosisLeukoderma w/o
hypomelanosisUngroupedungrouped: Nevus depigmentosus · Postinflammatory hypopigmentation · Pityriasis alba · Vagabond's leukomelanoderma · Yemenite deaf-blind hypopigmentation syndrome · Wende–Bauckus syndromeHyper- ReticulatedDermatopathia pigmentosa reticularis · Pigmentatio reticularis faciei et colli · Reticulate acropigmentation of Kitamura · Reticular pigmented anomaly of the flexures · Naegeli–Franceschetti–Jadassohn syndrome · Dyskeratosis congenita · X-linked reticulate pigmentary disorder · Galli–Galli disease · Revesz syndromeDiffuse/
circumscribedLentigo/Lentiginosis: Lentigo simplex · Liver spot · Centrofacial lentiginosis · Generalized lentiginosis · Inherited patterned lentiginosis in black persons · Ink spot lentigo · Lentigo maligna · Mucosal lentigines · Partial unilateral lentiginosis · PUVA lentigines
Melasma · Erythema dyschromicum perstans · Lichen planus pigmentosus · Café au lait spot · Poikiloderma (Poikiloderma of Civatte · Poikiloderma vasculare atrophicans) · Riehl melanosisLinearOther/ungroupedAcanthosis nigricans (Acral acanthotic anomaly) · Freckle · Familial progressive hyperpigmentation · Pallister–Killian syndrome · Periorbital hyperpigmentation · Photoleukomelanodermatitis of Kobori · Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation · Transient neonatal pustular melanosisOther
pigmentsiron: Hemochromatosis · Iron metallic discoloration · Pigmented purpuric dermatosis (Schamberg disease, Majocchi's disease, Gougerot–Blum syndrome, Doucas and Kapetanakis pigmented purpura/Eczematid-like purpura of Doucas and Kapetanakis, Lichen aureus, Angioma serpiginosum) · Hemosiderin hyperpigmentationother metals: Argyria · Chrysiasis · Arsenic poisoning · Lead poisoning · Titanium metallic discolorationDyschromatoses Dyschromatosis symmetrica hereditaria · Dyschromatosis universalis hereditariaCategories:- Melanocytic nevi and neoplasms
- Human appearance
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