Changes in skin pigmentation can occur for many reasons, such as birthmarks,
If you have light skin and spend a lot of time in the sun, you're more likely to develop age spots areas of increased pigmentation. Age spots are very common in adults older than 50, but younger people can get them if they spend time in the sun. Age spots can look like cancerous growths.
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.
Exposure to sun or ultraviolet (UV) light, especially after taking a medicine called psoralens, may increase skin color (pigmentation). Increased pigment production is called hyperpigmentation, and can result from certain rashes as well as sun exposure.
Acanthosis Nigricans. Light brown or black skin patches may be a sign of acanthosis nigricans. This treatable skin disorder isn't contagious or dangerous. However, it can be a sign of diabetes, so talk to your healthcare provider.
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.
Some deficiencies are thought to cause brown spots, for example vitamin B12. Eating a varied and balanced diet will help to minimize the risk of deficiencies.
Uneven pigmentation
That extra melanin is what creates a suntan. But sometimes skin doesn't make melanin evenly. As a result, the skin's coloring, called pigmentation, looks patchy. The sun also can cause small blood vessels to stretch, giving skin a blotchy look.
Exfoliate darker areas
To lighten darker patches, exfoliate the affected areas regularly. You can also apply a tan remover or exfoliating product to speed up the fading process. Try the Clarins Tonic Sugar Polisher , which contains rosemary, making it gentle enough for even the most sensitive of skin.
Call your health care provider for an appointment if you have: Skin discoloration that causes significant concern. Persistent, unexplained darkening or lightening of the skin. Any skin sore or lesion that changes shape, size, or color may be a sign of skin cancer.
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.
Eumelanin, on the other hand, is dark brown or black. The ratio between these two types of pigment is what makes the difference in each person's ability to tan. The skin of people with a higher amount of eumelanin will darken faster when exposed to the sun and so they will be more protected from burns.
What causes brown spots to suddenly appear on the skin? Brown spots can appear suddenly due to increased melanin pigment, often triggered by factors like sun exposure, changes in hormones, age, or skin conditions.
The darkening of certain areas of the skin can occur at any age and are often caused by sun exposure, inflammation, hormonal changes, or ageing. When exposed to the sun's damaging UV rays, the skin produces excess melanin, resulting in darker patches or sunspots.
Melanin can build up on areas of the skin that have received repeated and intense sun exposure, resulting in darker-looking spots on the skin. Sun spots are more common with age, but younger people can also develop them, especially if they've spent a lot of time in the sun.
The deficiency of vitamin B12 can cause specific skin manifestations, such as hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair and nail changes [1].
Without intervention, a suntan usually starts to fade within a few weeks, and tan lines become less prominent until they are not noticeable. This is because the body sheds dead skin cells and replaces them with new ones. A tan from tanning products also fades over time as the skin renews.
Tan often settles in areas where skin is dry so the rougher texture causes tan to look patchy.
Sometimes the white spots are merely scars that have become more visible after tanning. These areas of the skin have lost their pigmentation due to damage to the tissue. When tanning, the scars stand out from the darker skin around them.
Pigmentation changes such as age spots, liver spots (solar lentigines) and freckles. Loss of skin tone (decreased elasticity) Rough, uneven skin texture. Broken capillaries (spider veins), usually around the nose and chest.
Blotchiness and uneven skin tone can be due to many factors including sun exposure and heredity. You may see red, white or dark patches on your skin. These blotchy patches of skin may become more visible when dead surface skin is not regularly exfoliated.
High-dose vitamins B6 and B12 have also been linked to rosacea fulminans, a condition that looks like acne. Rosacea is marked by large red bumps and pustules that typically appear on the nose, chin, and/or cheeks.
Sun damage
Also called sunspots, solar lentigines, or liver spots, people can develop dark spots on their skin after exposure to the sun or tanning beds. Areas of the body that receive the most sun exposure, such as the face, hands, or arms, are most likely to develop sun spots.