Pigmented Lesions Clinic

Trust your skin care to the specialists at Henry Ford.

The Henry Ford Pigmented Lesions Clinic is ideal for people at high risk for skin cancer who have multiple moles (more than 50) or a history of melanoma. You also can see our dermatologists with a referral from your dermatologist or primary care doctor. This clinic is the first of its kind in Michigan. We provide the most advanced therapies for:

• Basal cell skin cancer
• Squamous cell skin cancer
• Melanoma

Pigmented lesions

Pigmented lesions are skin spots and growths caused by melanocyte cells. These cells produce melanin, which gives color (pigment) to the skin. Examples include freckles, moles, birthmarks, and "age spots."

Some people are born with pigmented lesions. Others develop skin lesions over time from:

• Aging
• Changing hormones
• Sun exposure

Birth control pills, along with hormone and other medications, also may cause these lesions, especially in combination with sun exposure.

These spots often are harmless. However, it's important for a dermatologist to look at any suspicious, changing moles or pigmented lesions.

Diagnosis of skin lesions

Our dermatologists examine the skin with a specialized tool called a dermatoscope. This tool helps us see lesion patterns that aren’t visible to the naked eye so we can tell cancerous lesions from noncancerous ones. We also use dermatoscopes to monitor moles as they change over time.

We biopsy suspicious lesions to determine if they are cancerous or precancerous. Your treatment will depend on the results from these initial tests.

Treatment for pigmented lesions

There are different treatment options for pigmented lesions depending on whether they’re cancerous. For precancerous or cancerous skin lesions, we often recommend:

• Mohs surgery
• Procedural dermatology for excisional surgery

For bothersome lesions, such as hyperpigmentation, ”age spots,” or birthmarks, your options may include:

• Laser skin treatment
• Cosmetic dermatology therapies

Follow-up care

We follow patients closely after treatment with regular skin examinations to detect any new growths at the earliest stage. Especially after treatment, it’s important to practice sun safety to protect your skin from further damage or another cancer.