Melanoma or a sun spot on the skin?

Sun spots, also called solar lentigines, are usually flat brown patches on areas that receive sunlight. They tend to have a fairly even colour and a stable outline. Melanoma may be darker, multicoloured, uneven at the border, or different from the other marks on your skin. It can also arise in skin without a previous sun spot.

A colour or shape change does not prove melanoma, and a stable appearance does not replace an examination when you are concerned. A clinician may use a dermatoscope and decide whether the lesion needs sampling. See [Sun Spots], [Dark Patches On Skin], and [Uneven Skin Tone] for related concerns.

Take a clear, dated photograph for your own comparison and book a dermatology assessment if a spot is new, enlarging, bleeding, crusting, itching persistently, or changing in colour or outline. Do not apply a cosmetic treatment to an undiagnosed lesion. Once a clinician confirms a benign sun spot, options may include [Chemical Peel], [IPL Photofacial], [Picosecond Laser Treatment], or [Cryotherapy (Lesion Removal)], depending on the skin and lesion.

Use shade, protective clothing, and broad-spectrum sunscreen on exposed areas. These measures help limit further ultraviolet damage but do not diagnose or remove melanoma.

Arrange prompt medical review for a spot that changes quickly, develops several colours, has an irregular edge, bleeds without clear injury, or becomes an open sore. Seek earlier advice if a dark mark is under a nail, on a palm or sole, or is difficult to monitor. Urgent care is appropriate for uncontrolled bleeding or signs of infection, such as spreading redness and fever.

Could this be a sun spot or another pigmented lesion? What features make it worth monitoring or sampling? How should I photograph and check it? If it is benign, which treatment suits my skin type and what pigment changes should I expect during healing?