What is hyperpigmentation?
What are the types of hyperpigmentation?
Can areas of pigmentation get worse?
How is hyperpigmentation treated?
What is hyperpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation is a common, usually harmless condition in which patches of skin become darker in color than the normal surrounding skin. This darkening occurs when an excess of melanin, the brown pigment that produces normal skin color, forms deposits on the skin. Hyperpigmentation can affect any skin color or texture.
What are the types of hyperpigmentation?
Lentigines (also called age or liver spots) are a common form of hyperpigmentation that occurs as a result of sun exposure over many years. These small, darkened spots are usually found on the hands and face or other areas frequently exposed to the sun.
Melasma or Chloasma spots involves larger areas of darkened skin that appear most often as a result of hormonal changes and sun. Pregnancy, for example, can trigger overproduction of melanin that causes the "mask of pregnancy" on the face and darkened skin on the abdomen and other areas. Women who take birth control pills may also develop hyperpigmentation because their bodies undergo the same kind of hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy.
Changes in skin color can result from outside causes. For example, skin diseases such as acne may leave dark spots after the condition clears. Other causes of dark spots are injuries to the skin, including some surgeries.
Freckles are small brown spots that can appear anywhere on the body, but are most common on the face and arms. Freckles are an inherited characteristic.
Can areas of hyperpigmentation get worse?
Freckles, age spots, and other darkened skin patches can become darker or more pronounced when skin is exposed to the sun. The already darkened spots may deepen in color as more melanin is produced. Wearing protective clothing and using a sunscreen can minimize the effect of sun exposure.
How is hyperpigmentation treated?
The application of skin bleaches is frequently prescribed to lighten and fade darkened skin patches. With regular us, bleaching products slow the production of melanin so Prescription bleaches contain twice the amount of hydroquinone, the active ingredient, than over the counter skin bleaches. A Q-switched ND-YAG laser can be used to effectively treat small lentigines (age spots).
For additional information, please call an Office Nurse at (650) 325-1511, or send email at mdmg@mdmg.com.