Are these brown spots dangerous?

      A solar lentigo is brown spot that is caused by sun exposure or UV light. They are different than freckles or ephelides in that freckles have a genetic component. Lentigos occur in areas of sun exposure and can occur in large numbers. The presence of a solar lentigo itself is harmless, but does indicate a great amount of sun exposure that can lead to skin cancers.

They are a benign skin condition and do not require treatment. If the solar lentigo is cosmetically of concern, they can be treated with topical medications or light cryotherapy freezing. The best treatment for solar lentigo is prevention. Avoiding sun at the peak times between 10AM-4PM, wearing at least a 30 SPF during sun exposure with reapplication every 2-3 hours, and/or wearing sun protective clothing will reduce the amount of solar lentigines a person may acquire.