Hi my dad age 50 has developed some black spots on the left side of his face it look like age stops but from the online images i have seen it dont resemble it. He was working in a steal factory when the spots first appeared. I just wanted to know if it could be another skin condition other than age spots? And some direction on how to proceed from there.
These black spots can be due to age spots or lentigenes, freckles or xeroderma pigmentosum. Sun spots or lentigines, are harmless, flat, brown discolorations of the skin which usually occur on the back of the hands, neck and face of people older than 40 years of age. They are caused by the skin being exposed to the sun over many years and are a sigh of sun damage.
The only way to prevent age spots is to use liberal amounts of sunscreen before the age of forty, avoid the sun, and wear protective clothing. The newest treatment for age spots is an alpha hydroxy acid gel or beta hydroxy acid gel. Retin-A cream, alpha hydroxyacid peels, and liquid nitrogen therapy are other options.
It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.