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  • What Causes Sun Spots and Where Are They Most Common?
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Dr. Robert Anolik: A sun spot is a reaction of the pigment-producing cells in the skin to the sun. The sun acts like a stimulant and produces this pigmentation on the surface of the skin. When you look under a microscope and you see the sun spot, you may see a higher concentration of pigment particles on the surface of the skin. And, that's all it is. So, comparing that to normal skin, you just see a higher concentration of these little pigment particles sitting on the skin's surface.

The areas that are most directly hit by the sun are the areas that are of the biggest concerns for our patients. That means, the face, the neck, the upper chest, especially on women who expose the upper chest, and the back of the hands. I'd say those four areas are the most common, but we do have people who come from very sunny areas, or spend many times vacationing on beaches and then, that means, the arms, and the upper backs, and other body parts also are areas that patients want to treat.

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What Causes Sun Spots and Where Are They Most Common?

Dr. Robert Anolik answers two common questions pertaining to sun spots: causes and location.