14 Yr Old with Large Brown Spots on Hands

My son has always had a large (1 1/2") Cafe-au-Lait spot on his left hand.  He is now 14 years old and about 2 months ago he pointed out 6 new spots on his right hand.  Doctors have mentioned the possibility of Neurofibromatosis in the past, but could these spots be something different?

[Jasmina Jankicevic, MD, MSc, CCRP]

Welcome to the Dermatology Expert Forum!

Café-au-lait macules are present in more than 10% of healthy population, and are not sufficient criteria by themselves to diagnose Neurofibromatosis. A list of other syndromes associated with multiple café-au-lait macules is not short (McCune- Albright Sy, LEOPARD Sy, Tuberous sclerosis, Bloom Sy, Fanconi anemia, etc.).

Bottom line, if no other symptoms & signs are present and family history is negative; then other causes (especially environmental and lifestyle related) have to be looked into. In this case, detailed medical history and thorough clinical examination is a must in order to make correct diagnosis.

Wishing You Optimal Health,
Dr. Jasmina Jankicevic