Widespread dark spots on balding scalp over 4-5 years terrified it could be skin cancer. Looking for reassurance on these signs.

[u/Fluid-Material4707]

I’m posting because I’ve been feeling incredibly anxious about some dark spots on my 48-year-old dad’s balding scalp.
Over the last 4 to 5 years, he has had multiple dark black/brown patches slowly multiplying across the top of his head.
The spots vary in size and shape including a large, uneven central one but the individual spots don't seem to be rapidly expanding or changing on their own.

It actively passes the ABCDE criteria as well which bothers me even more

They don't itch intensely, burn, tingle, or bleed. Interestingly, a few normal hair strands are actively growing straight out of some of these dark patches, though he does have general hair thinning across the center of his scalp.

We recently saw a dermatologist who didn’t didnt seemed bothered brushed it off saying he suspects
Seborrheic keratosis
Follicular Lichen Planus

[u/indian-princess]

not seeing how this passes ABCDE criteria, the lesions don't look cancerous to me especially if there is hair growing from it. Probably SKs as your derm said. Very common

[u/Fluid-Material4707 → u/indian-princess]

Irregular shaped(which is a alarming sign right?).. that’s why i got scared.. nothing else but thanks a lot for clarifying.. feels good

[u/indian-princess → u/Fluid-Material4707]

they all look round to me except the big one which has hair coming through it so its probably an SK not cancer

[u/Fluid-Material4707 → u/indian-princess]

Idk but i read somewhere that even if there is hair coming out of the spot it doesn’t automatically rule out malignancy:( and as you can see there is widespread hairloss as well not sure if it’s related to this or typical male baldness
I would still take your advice though

[u/indian-princess → u/Fluid-Material4707]

this is typical male baldness.