What infection causes skin darkening?

Author: Mr. Hailey Bradtke  |  Last update: Monday, June 9, 2025

Overview. Tinea versicolor is a common fungal infection of the skin. The fungus interferes with the normal pigmentation of the skin, resulting in small, discolored patches. These patches may be lighter or darker in color than the surrounding skin and most commonly affect the trunk and shoulders.

What illness causes skin darkening?

Addison's disease: It causes patches of dark skin around skin folds or joints. Diabetes rash: If you have diabetes, you may develop discolored skin patches or spots. Medications: Some medications can cause your skin to lighten or darken. Cancer: Certain cancers or paraneoplastic syndromes can cause pigmentary changes.

What causes sudden skin darkening?

Causes of hyperpigmentation include: Skin inflammation (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) Use of certain drugs (such as minocycline, certain cancer chemotherapies, and birth control pills) Hormone system diseases such as Addison disease.

What is the infection that changes skin color?

Pityriasis versicolor causes patches of skin to change colour. On white skin, the patches are usually pink, red or pale brown. You may notice the patches do not tan in the sun. On brown or black skin, the patches tend to be paler than the surrounding skin.

What autoimmune disease is Discolors skin?

Vitiligo (vit-ih-LIE-go) is a disease that causes loss of skin color in patches. The discolored areas usually get bigger with time. The condition can affect the skin on any part of the body. It can also affect hair and the inside of the mouth.

Doctor explains CELLULITIS (skin infection) | Causes, symptoms, treatment (plus photos)

What does a bacterial skin infection look like?

Symptoms usually began 1-3 days after infection. Sores (lesions) begin as small red spots, usually on the face (especially around the nose and mouth), but can appear anywhere on the body. The sores are often itchy, but usually not painful.

Why is my skin suddenly going darker?

Your skin can develop darker patches as the result of excess melanin production, typically caused by skin inflammation, hormone fluctuations, and poor lifestyle choices. Age spots – also known as sun spots and liver spots – can also be signs of skin conditions, such as Melasma.

What deficiency causes skin darkening?

The hyperpigmentation related to vitamin B12 deficiency is more common in darker-skinned patients. Few other cases of skin hyperpigmentation due to vitamin B12 deficiency have been reported in the literature. The mechanism of hyperpigmentation is due to increased melanin synthesis rather than a defect in melanin.

What does acanthosis nigricans look like?

The main sign of acanthosis nigricans is dark, thick, velvety skin in body folds and creases. It often appears in the armpits, groin and back of the neck. It develops slowly. The affected skin might be itchy, have an odor and develop skin tags.

What drug makes your skin darker?

The incidence of this change varies, and depends on the type of medication involved. Some of the most common drugs involved are NSAIDs, antimalarials, psychotropic drugs, Amiodarone, cytotoxic drugs, tetracyclines, and heavy metals such as silver and gold (which must be ingested, not just worn).

What does your skin look like with Addison's disease?

Symptoms of Addison's disease include: Steadily worsening fatigue (most common symptom). Patches of dark skin (hyperpigmentation), especially around scars and skin creases and on your gums.

What cancers cause gray skin?

Pigmented basal cell cancers have dark areas, often brown, blue or grey in colour.

What color is your skin when you have sepsis?

Signs of sepsis are: • Pale, blotchy or blue skin, lips or tongue. Blotchy skin is when parts of your skin are a different colour than normal. Sometimes it is hard to know if you or somebody you look after has sepsis, or if it is something else, like flu or a chest infection.

What does staph infection look like?

The symptoms of a staph infection depend on the type of infection: Skin infections can look like pimples or boils. They may be red, swollen, and painful. Sometimes there is pus or other drainage.

Why is my skin darkening for no reason?

The change in skin tone and complexions happens when there is excess melanin production in the skin cells. There could be possible reasons why your skin cells are overproducing melanin. Medical conditions such as Addison's disease may also cause your skin to become darker in some areas.

What does a B12 rash look like?

The allergy can be triggered by taking vitamin B12 supplements because B12 contains cobalt atoms. Cobalt allergies most often develop in people exposed to it in eye makeup, tattoos, or industrial products, causing an itchy, red, scaly rash.

Can iron deficiency cause skin darkening?

Low blood iron or anaemia directly impacts haemoglobin and hampers the delivery of oxygenated blood to the body. This causes melanin — the pigment that gives skin its color — to go into overproduction. Since the skin under the eyes is extremely sensitive, the pigmentation shows up here first.

What autoimmune disease causes skin discoloration?

Vitiligo is a chronic (long-lasting) autoimmune disorder that causes patches of skin to lose pigment or color. This happens when melanocytes – skin cells that make pigment – are attacked and destroyed, causing the skin to turn a milky-white color.

Is skin darkening reversible?

The reversibility of skin discoloration depends on the cause. Dermatologists can recommend treatments such as topical creams, laser therapy, or chemical peels based on the specific condition.

Why am I losing pigment in my skin?

Vitiligo is caused by the lack of a pigment called melanin in the skin. Melanin is produced by skin cells called melanocytes, and it gives your skin its colour. In vitiligo, there are not enough working melanocytes to produce enough melanin in your skin. This causes white patches to develop on your skin or hair.

What does a parasite skin infection look like?

Scabies is caused by an infestation of tiny mites which burrow into your skin. Their presence usually appears as an itchy, pimple-like linear rash. The mites lay eggs which then hatch and spread to other areas of your body, as well as to other people.

What are the first signs of MRSA?

Some symptoms of these severe infections may include:
  • Chest pain.
  • Cough or shortness of breath.
  • Fatigue.
  • Fever and chills.
  • General ill feeling.
  • Headache.
  • Rash.
  • Wounds that do not heal.

What does a septic skin infection look like?

If an infection such as blood poisoning (septicemia) triggered your condition, you may develop a sepsis rash on your skin. The rash makes your skin appear red and discolored. You may see small, dark-red spots on your skin.

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