Can pigmented lesions be cancerous?

Malignant lesions of the skin are common. Patients who develop squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma often have recognizable precursor conditions. A few skin lesions resemble malignancies. Lesions that are growing, spreading or pigmented, or those that occur on exposed areas of skin are of particular concern.

What does pigmented lesion mean?

Pigmented lesions often involve melanin (brown pigment), resulting in small or large areas of the skin appearing brown, black or even blue in colour. Although most often benign (harmless), pigmented lesions can also be malignant (cancerous) in some cases.

What are the danger signs for pigmented skin lesions?

Any change in size, shape, color or elevation of a spot on your skin, or any new symptom in it, such as bleeding, itching or crusting, may be a warning sign of melanoma.

What causes pigmented skin lesions?

These skin spots and growths are caused by melanocyte cells in the skin. Melanocytes are the cells that produce melanin, the substance that gives color (pigment) to the skin. Common pigmented lesions include: Age spots.

What does a pigmented lesion look like?

Pigmented skin lesions refer to lesions that are brown, black or blue in colour, or may be confused with brown or black lesions (for example, vascular lesions, which sometimes look black with the naked eye but under dermatoscopy appear red, purple or blue).

How do you get rid of pigmented skin lesions?

Treating benign brown pigmented lesions depends heavily on the type and cause of the pigmentation and the underlying skin type. Other skin conditions present can also affect the choice of treatment. Possible options include bleaching cream, skin peels, IPL, pigment lasers, ablative lasers, Fraxel lasers.

How do you know if a lesion is cancerous?

Melanoma signs and symptoms

A large brownish spot with darker speckles.
A mole that changes in color, size or feel or that bleeds.
A small lesion with an irregular border and portions that appear red, pink, white, blue or blue-black.
A painful lesion that itches or burns.