What causes black lesions on your skin?

Also called sunspots, solar lentigines, or liver spots, people can develop dark spots on their skin after being exposed to the sun or tanning beds. Areas of the body that receive the most sun exposure, such as the face, hands, or arms, are most likely to develop sun spots.

What are dark lesions?

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.

Are all black skin lesions melanoma?

Melanoma vs normal mole Melanomas often show irregular pigment in a lesion, with shades of black, brown, grey and pink. In nodular melanoma (see below) the lesion is often black throughout. Rarely, a melanoma can present as a non-pigmented red nodule (amelanotic melanoma), which is more likely on the hands and feet.

What are the most common skin lesions?

One of the most common causes of skin lesions is acne. Acne is a condition in which the pores on the skin become clogged with excess oil, dead skin, or bacteria, and cause lesions to form on the skin. These lesions can range from small red spots, yellow pus-filled bumps, or cystic acne, which causes deep and painful pits in the surface of the skin.

What is considered skin lesion?

A skin lesion is a part of the skin that has an abnormal growth or appearance compared to the skin around it. Two categories of skin lesions exist: primary and secondary. Primary skin lesions are abnormal skin conditions present at birth or acquired over a person’s lifetime.

What is a benign lesion?

A benign lesion is non-cancerous whereas a malignant lesion is cancerous. For example, a biopsy of a skin lesion may prove it to be benign or malignant, or evolving into a malignant lesion (called a premalignant lesion). Lesions can be defined according to the patterns they form.

What is a raised skin lesion?

A raised lesion filled with pus usually caused by an infection, such as impetigo or boils. Papule.A solid, raised, rough lesion that may be red, pink or brown. A patch of closely-grouped papules is called a plaque. Papules are associated with conditions such as warts, syphilis, psoriasis, or skin cancer.