Solar Lentigo

Solar lentigo are flat lesions — tan to brown colored and pencil eraser to quarter sized — with smooth or irregular borders. Usually they are found on sun-exposed areas, such as the face, the upper back, and the backs of the hands and legs. Solar lentigo always appear as multiple lesions. Sun exposure may make solar lentigo darker but do not fade in the winter. Solar lentigo are not moles, and while moles may appear anywhere on the skin, solar lentigo ordinarily are limited to sun-exposed areas on the body. Individuals with fair skin and excessive sun exposure develop solar lentigos in the second or third decade of life. Solar lentigos are the first sign of excessive chronic sun exposure; however, they are not considered precancerous lesions. [Figure 1]