Prior to any discussion regarding hyperpigmentation, it is imperative that the reader becomes familiar with the term “pigmentation” first. Simply put, skin pigmentation is the color of a person’s skin. The body’s skin cells, or melanocytes, are in charge of producing a substance called melanin. The darker a person’s skin color is, the more melanin there is in their epidermis. The skin color someone will have is primarily dependent on their racial background as well as the kind of exposure they have to the sun’s rays. Different people have different skin pigmentations because of these reasons.
Hyperpigmentation is caused by the over production of melanin in one’s body and appears as the darkening of parts of the skin. Because of hyperpigmentation, darker spots that do not match the surrounding areas will commonly appear on the skin. Hyperpigmentation has been revealed to be primarily caused by damage from too much sun exposure, skin inflammation, or other injuries on the skin. For the record, a lot of conditions as well as bodily ailments are commonly linked with hyperpigmentation. Among the existing instances are Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, melanosis, haemochromatosis, linea nigra, Celiac disease, Cronkite-Canada syndrome, Tinea fungal infections, Addison’s disease, acanthosis nigricans, melasma, porphyria, as well as Cushing’s disease. Hyperpigmentation is more well-know when seen as freckles, liver spots, sun spots, and age spots. Some studies also say that chemicals such as cisplatin, salicylic acid, and bleomycin can cause hyperpigmentation. The people most prone to hyperpigmentation are those with Asian, African and the Mediterranean descent. Being exposed to too much sun will make them even more vulnerable.
If one has hyperpigmentation, then their beauty is usually affected a lot. In a world where physical appearance is considered as very important, hyperpigmentation can seriously hinder one from being “beautiful”. Having a good complexion is considered as a must when it comes to good looks. Hyperpigmentation can be a hindrance towards this. If you have dark spots from this skin condition, they will often appear on the most visible parts of your body. To mention a few parts, these are the neck, face, scalp, nape, hands as well as forearms. For many people, it is embarrassing to let others see the dark patches on their skin. They try to cover them up with clothes or cosmetics. Fortunately, there are now many ways wherein one can alleviate hyperpigmentation. Skin lightening products are often used for this reason. Skin lightening products may contain any of the following substances: tretinoin (Retinol), azelaic acid, licorice extract, kojic acid, topical glucocorticoids, alpha hydroxy acids, ascorbic acid, and hydroquinone.
Although usually considered as harmless, hyperpigmentation undoubtedly makes the skin less attractive. Numerous individuals wish for their hyperpigmentation to disappear since the affected parts are noticeably darker than their real skin tone. One can make use of the many pigmentation creams that have been researched and developed for treating hyperpigmentation. On the other hand, all will be pointless if the afflicted individual still goes out under the sun’s rays.
