What are sunspots on the foot and ankle?
A sunspot is a deposit of skin pigment that appears after sun exposure. Sunspots can range from being harmless to being very serious cancerous lesions, so it's extremely important to visit Dr. Rhinehart as soon as you find a new sunspot on your foot or ankle.
What does cancerous growth look like?
There are several types of cancerous growths that can occur on your feet and ankles, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. The possible warning signs that a sunspot or other skin growth could be cancerous include:
- Asymmetry: the two halves of the growth don't look the same
- Borders: the edges of the sunspot look blurry, ragged, or irregular
- Color: you can see more than one color within the growth
- Diameter: the spot is bigger than a pencil eraser or is growing
- Evolution: the spot changes size, shape, shade, or in any other significant way
These signs don’t necessarily mean you have skin cancer, but they do mean that the growth warrants a professional analysis and diagnosis.
How do you diagnose sunspots on the foot and ankle?
Dr. Rhinehart starts with a careful exam of your foot and ankle. She may perform a biopsy, a test in which she removes a small sample from the sunspot to test it for abnormal cells that could indicate cancer. There are three main types of biopsy:
Shave biopsy
In a shave biopsy, Dr. Rhinehart lightly scrapes the topmost layers of skin to collect a tiny sample of skin cells for testing.
Punch biopsy
In a punch biopsy, Dr. Rhinehart uses a specialized circular tool to remove a cross section of all the affected skin layers.
Excisional biopsy
In an excisional biopsy, Dr. Rhinehart removes the entire sunspot using a fine blade.
With all types of biopsy, Dr. Rhinehart can administer numbing medication to make sure you’re comfortable.
How are sunspots on the foot and ankle removed?
To remove noncancerous sunspots on the foot and ankle, Dr. Rhinehart may recommend laser sunspot removal with the Q-Clear™ Nd:YAG laser. The laser pulses break up the pigment and you naturally eliminate the remaining particles over time until your skin is free from brown spots.
For cancerous sunspots, Dr. Rhinehart may recommend full or partial excision and may refer you to a cancer specialist.
Get help for sunspots on the foot and ankle by calling Francine Rhinehart, DPM, or booking online today.
