Hyperpigmentation of the Skin

Hyperpigmentation is a common skin condition that makes some parts of

the skin darker than others. It occurs when the skin produces an excessive
amount of melanin, the pigment that gives the skin its colour. Spots or
patches might appear brown, black, grey, red, or pink due to the excess
melanin produced in the skin. When it comes to hyperpigmentation, all skin
types are affected, however, it is particularly noticeable in people with
darker skin tones.

Types of Hyperpigmentation

Among the many types of hyperpigmentation, the most common are dark
spots (also known as sunspots), melasma, freckles and post-inflammatory
hyperpigmentation. Here is what you should know about them

· Sunspots: Also called solar lentigos, age spots, or dark

spots, these hyperpigmented lesions are brown to black skin
defects mostly common in middle-aged adults. They appear on
sun-exposed regions of the body (particularly the hands, arms,
and face), and are most likely the result of persistent UV
exposure and the resulting chronic inflammation. It often affects
older people or those who have been exposed to the sun for an
extended period.

· Melasma/chloasma: Melasma is a skin condition that

manifests as darker-than-normal patches and spots, typically on
the face. Women who are pregnant or taking birth control pills
are more likely to develop melasma on their skin.

· Freckles: Another type of hyperpigmentation is freckles. A

freckle is a tiny, flat, pale to a deep brown patch of skin with a
wavy border. People with freckles produce a lot of melanin, but
it is not equally distributed across their skin.
 · Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation: Post-inflammatory
pigmentation is a transitory discolouration of the skin that
occurs due to several different inflammatory conditions (e.g.,
dermatitis, infection). Pigmentation of the skin is often grey-
brown and persistent for many years.

Causes of Hyperpigmentation
Depending on the different types of hyperpigmentation, there are a wide
range of causes

· Imbalanced Melanin Production: The skin tone of an individual is

determined by a pigment called melanin that is produced by skin cells. In
response to injury, these skin cells create an abundance of melanin. When
melanin accumulates in a place, it darkens the region.

· Sunlight exposure: Most hyperpigmentation is caused by excessive

sun exposure. The sun stimulates the formation of melanin, and prolonged
exposure might result in hyperpigmentation.

· Inflammation of the skin: Any damage to the skin's dermis or

epidermis results in hyperpigmentation. Inflammation of the epidermis
stimulates melanocytes to increase melanin production.

Susceptible Skin types

People with darker skin have a higher risk of developing dark spots. When
hormones or injuries cause an increase in the production of melanin in the
skin, you are more likely to develop hyperpigmentation as a result. Dark-
skinned, Hispanic, and Asian people are more likely to experience
melasma or hyperpigmentation.
In women, hyperpigmentation can also occur during pregnancy and while
using oral contraceptives due to hormonal changes in the body.

Treatment options for hyperpigmentation:

Hyperpigmentation is a common yet difficult complication of cutaneous

inflammation, especially in people with darker skin. Post-inflammatory
hyperpigmentation and melasma affect patients' quality of life. Treatment
for hyperpigmentation is based on the source and extent of dark
pigmentation.

· Topical Creams: Hydroquinone is present in most prescription skin-

lightening products. It's possible to use bleaches to lighten and remove
dark patches of skin over time by decreasing the formation of melanin.
Corticosteroids, such as Tretinoin, may be administered in more severe
cases

· Chemical peels: Chemical peels are used to cure discoloured skin by

removing the top layers of the skin using a chemical solution. This
technique resurfaces the skin and improves skin tone.

· Microdermabrasion: This is an epidermal resurfacing process used to

treat uneven skin tone and texture, photoaging, sun damage, melasma and
scars, such as acne scars.

· Intense Pulsed Light (IPL): IPL is a form of treatment that uses a laser
to precisely target and remove pigmented or damaged skin cells. IPL can
be used to treat a wide range of skin conditions.

· Home remedies: Hyperpigmentation can be treated using home

remedies that have skin-lightening ingredients. Treatments for
hyperpigmentation include using natural components such as turmeric,
aloe vera, green tea extract, tomato, apple cider vinegar, milk, and curd.