Entries RSSSkin pigmentation disorders – a look at the causes
White patches on different parts of the body, darkening of the cheeks in irregular fashion or yellowish spots on hands are all examples of skin pigmentation disorders women most commonly suffer from. It is sad to know some of these may also be genetic and nothing can be done about it most often. However, the good news is that skin pigmentation is only limited to the upper layer of the epidermis and does not seep in the inner parts of the body causing any kind of damage.
In this article, I’ll be talking about the types of pigmentation one might confront at any stage in life. Once you know the signs, you’ll be able to immediately identify the anomaly and seek medical help within the earliest possible time. Here we go!
Hyper pigmentation!
Hyper pigmentation causes excessive darkening of the skin and is a result of the over production of melanin in the body, a pigment responsible for rendering color to our skin, our hair as well as our eyes. This may take place because of our body’s over exposure to the sun or as a result of the reaction of a drug. Sometimes hyper pigmentation also takes place as a natural result of aging. If the changes in the color of the skin is a bit too fast, then you should immediately go for skin tests to ensure that there is no cancerous growth involved.
Lichen Simplex Chronicus!
This disorder is characterized by dark patches of the skin all over the body along with too much of itching everywhere. This may lead to permanent scarring or infection if it stays untreated over a long period of time.
Melasma!
Women confront this anomaly as a result of pregnancy hormones. This results in appearance of the dark mask over the cheeks, the bridge of the nose and the neck which usually appears after the birth of the child. However, this disappears after the child birth in most cases but in extreme cases, it can be treated with prescription or over-the-counter products.
Birth Marks!
These may appear on a child soon after a few days of this birth and is not harmful as it does not pose any health threats!
Port-wine Stains!
These are called so because they are caused by abnormal development of capillaries and appear as reddish purple mark on the body.
I hope this will make it easier for you to now identify any kind of pigmentation if any. Where there are available certain topical steroids creams to combat some forms of pigmentation, cosmetic procedures such as glycolic acid peels also help in improving the effectiveness of the bleaching agents. Hypoallergenic can also be used to cover uneven and blotchy skin.