Cosmetically speaking, the excess melanin forms an 'umbrella' that makes the skin darker. This is what we know as a 'suntan'. So, the longer your skin is threatened by UV, the deeper your tan because more and more melanin is being produced by your body to protect itself.
Melanin Production: Tanning occurs when the skin produces more melanin in response to UV exposure. The more melanin produced, the darker the tan. However, there is a limit to how much melanin your skin can produce.
Darker areas of skin (or an area that tans more easily) occurs when you have more melanin or overactive melanocytes.
Your skin contains a dark pigment called melanin. Your skin makes this pigment to protect it from the sun. The melanin does this by absorbing some of the UV radiation from the sun's rays. Once the first layer of melanin has been destroyed by the sun, your skin reacts by creating another layer of dark pigmented melanin.
One cause of food-induced skin pigmentation is the chemical psoralen, which increases the risk of age spots and makes the skin more sensitive to UV rays. Psoralen is found in foods like the common fig, parsley, parsnips, limes, and celery.
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.
If you've been wondering, "Why is my skin becoming darker?" without obvious sun exposure, it's essential to understand that several factors could be at play. Your skin can react to many triggers, both internal and external. These include hormonal changes, medications, ageing, and stress.
Your skin can develop darker patches as the result of excess melanin production, typically caused by skin inflammation, hormone fluctuations, and poor lifestyle choices.
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).
Frequent sunburns or hours spent tanning can result in a permanent darkening of the skin, dark spots, and a leathery texture.
Papaya: Like carrots, orange fruits and vegetables, such as papaya, help to enhance your tan naturally thanks to its high beta-carotene levels. Melon: This refreshing fruit, rich in antioxidants and beta-carotenes will help you to keep your golden skin tone.
The best vitamins to use for overall skin health are vitamins C, E, B12, and A. Although vitamin D is essential for skin health, its primary role is the promotion of melanin formation, which may cause more skin darkening.
There are no such pills approved for this purpose. Nevertheless, pills bearing tanning claims continue to appear on the market. Consumers should be aware of risks associated with such products, as well as doubts about their efficacy.
Melanin is a pigment that is responsible for your skin tone. The more melanin you have, the darker your skin. Melanocytes are molecules that make melanin.
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.
UVA rays penetrate to the lower layers of the epidermis, where they trigger cells called melanocytes (pronounced: mel-AN-oh-sites) to produce melanin. Melanin is the brown pigment that causes tanning. Melanin is the body's way of protecting skin from burning.
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.
This can cause an overproduction of melanin, which can lead to the formation of dark patches or hyperpigmentation on the skin. Also, under stress, your bodies produce more inflammation, which can lead to increased pigmentation and worsen melasma symptoms.
A darker skin tone can result from natural ageing processes for various reasons. Our skin changes as we age, including a decline in collagen and elastin synthesis, a reduction in cell turnover, and a slower rate of wound healing. A dull and uneven complexion may result from these changes.