Pigment spots (ICD-10 L81.9: disorder of skin pigmentation, unspecified) are benign neoplasms of the skin. They are circumscribed, permanent deposits of the pigment melanin in the skin.
Pigmented spots include:
- Lentigo senilis (age spots).
- Chloasma (melasma) – circumscribed benign (benign) hyperpigmentation that occurs on the face.
- Nevi – benign skin / mucous membrane malformations (pigment mark, often called “mole” or “birthmark” in common parlance).
- Ephelides (freckles)
For more, see below the topic of the same name.
Symptoms – complaints
Pigment spots are circumscribed skin discolorations due to melanin deposits.
Pathogenesis (disease development) – etiology (causes)
Melanin is also responsible, among other things, for the tanning of the skin under sunlight irradiation. If the skin is not exposed to ultraviolet light for a long time, the melanin is broken down again. However, the melanin remains in pigment spots.
The “pathogenesis – etiology” depends on the type of pigment spot.
Therapy
- Laser therapy: using a pulsed krypton ion laser or an Nd:Yag laser, the deposited melanin in the skin is heated painlessly and broken down by the skin cells within four weeks. The pigment spot then disappears completely scar-free.
- Note: Moles (nevi) should only be removed by surgical excision and should not be treated with laser.An exception is congenital (congenital) melanocytic nevi (moles), these can be treated by laser.
