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Skin Care and Diseases

Brown spot on hand

10/18/2006

Question:

Thank you for your time. My question is, I just recently discovered a brown spot on my right hand that is starting a the knuckle of my thumb and it swoops around the curve between my thumb and pointer figures. I am hispanic and the spot is a darker shade of brown, it is not perfectly round. Please let me know your thoughts on this.

Thank you.

Answer:

The most common cause of increased color that is relatively sudden in onset is post-inflammatory change.  You may have had an area of irritation.  You may be irritating it with the way you wash your hands as soaps and cleaning agents often do that.  It does not sound ominous.

I would urge you to see your board certified dermatologist who can carefully examine the area, biopsy it is necessary, and help you with dealing with the darker color.  There are some medications that may help that. 

 

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Response by:

Charles L Heaton, MD
Professor
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati