Senile Lentigo

Abstract

Ninety per cent of elderly persons were found to have hyperpigmented macules compatible with a clinical diagnosis of senile lentigo. The morphology and distribution of these lesions are discussed. The incidence of senile lentigo increases with age and is related to the degree of senile change in the skin. The histopathology of senile lentigo is discussed. An increase in the number of melanocytes was confirmed by direct counting in dopa-treated epidermis. Lesions clinically indistinguishable from senile lentigines may show only hyperpigmentation of the epidermis histologically. Ephelides, junctional naevi, and seborrheic keratoses may present identical clinical appearances to senile lentigo but can be distinguished by histological examination. Chronic exposure to sunlight is an important etiological factor in the development of senile lentigo.