Some creams may contain toxic ingredients, including mercury. Creams that do not meet stringent manufacturing safety standards may cause rashes, make discoloration worse, and exert other harmful effects on the body.
Before trying any treatment or cream, a person should either contact a dermatologist directly or speak with their doctor. A doctor may treat the condition on their own, or they may refer an individual to a dermatology department. A person should notice their skin getting better when they stop using products that cause skin irritation and discoloration. However, it can take up to a year for some dark spots to fade.
To alleviate skin discoloration and scarring people may want to use products that contain:. However, a person may experience some side effects from these treatments. For example, laser therapy can help reduce dark spots but may produce hypopigmentation around the affected area. It can also worsen hyperpigmentation in some cases.
Learn more about laser therapy for scars here. If a person notices a sudden patch of discoloration that does not go away, or gets worse, they should speak with a doctor. It is important to talk with a doctor about sudden skin discoloration as it could be a sign of skin cancer.
Similarly, if a person feels self-conscious about skin discoloration, they should talk with a dermatologist. They can suggest treatment options to reduce hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation. A person can find a dermatologist directly or seek a referral from their doctor.
With acne, wounds, and sunburn , some strategies can help prevent discoloration. These include:. While most skin discoloration is nothing to worry about, in some cases it could be a symptom of skin cancer.
You want your smooth, even skin tone back. Our board-certified dermatologists and medical team at Seacoast Dermatology have treated thousands of patients with different types of skin discolorations. To help you understand these changes in your skin, we put together information on some of the most common types of discolorations. Many discolorations turn out to be age spots. They may even be gray or black and can be a half inch or more in diameter.
There are three major reasons for age spots, also called liver spots or sunspots. Skin discolorations often occur in those over age Just as other systems in your body experience wear-and-tear, your skin becomes thinner and drier as you age and is more prone to develop scaly patches and discolorations. Darker skin requires greater care when using these preparations.
Cosmetics may also help mask a discoloration. Your provider may recommend creams, ointments, surgery, or phototherapy, depending on the type of skin condition you have.
Bleaching creams can help lighten dark areas of skin. Chang MW. Disorders of hyperpigmentation. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Passeron T, Ortonne JP. Vitiligo and other disorders of hypopigmentation. Editorial team. Skin - abnormally dark or light Hyperpigmentation; Hypopigmentation; Skin - abnormally light or dark. Considerations Normal skin contains cells called melanocytes.
Skin with too much melanin is called hyperpigmented skin. Causes 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 Hemochromatosis iron overload Sun exposure Pregnancy melasma, or mask of pregnancy Certain birthmarks Causes of hypopigmentation include: Skin inflammation Certain fungal infections such as tinea versicolor Pityriasis alba Vitiligo Certain medicines Skin condition called idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis in sun exposed areas such as the arms Certain birthmarks.
Home Care Over-the-counter and prescription creams are available for lightening the skin. Avoid too much sun exposure. Always use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. The most common causes of hyperpigmentation are:. The body produces more melanin to protect the skin from prolonged exposure to the sun.
This can cause dark spots or patches on the skin called age spots or sun spots. Areas of skin can darken after people have had inflammation of the skin.
This can include acne, eczema, lupus, or an injury to the skin. People with darker skin are more likely to develop post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Darker patches of skin can form when people experience hormonal changes.
This type of hyperpigmentation is common during pregnancy. Certain medications, such as antimalarial drugs and tricyclic antidepressants, can cause hyperpigmentation. In these cases, patches of skin may turn gray. It can cause hyperpigmentation in certain areas of the body, including:. Hemochromatosis is an inherited condition that causes the body to contain too much iron. It can cause hyperpigmentation, making the skin appear darker or tanned.
Melasma is a type of hyperpigmentation. Melasma usually covers a larger area of skin than other types of hyperpigmentation, and it usually appears on the face. Melasma mostly affects women, affecting men just 10 percent of the time. Other types of hyperpigmentation affect men and women equally. Melasma is more common in people with darker skin and may run in the family. Doctors are still unsure about what causes melasma, but a change in hormones can sometimes trigger it.
Pregnancy and taking birth control pills can both cause melasma. When a person is no longer pregnant, or they stop taking birth control pills, the melasma usually disappears. Melasma can disappear on its own, but without treatment, it may not.
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