Skin Pigmentation

The term “skin pigmentation” per se is not something that describes a disorder in the skin. “Skin pigmentation” actually translates into “skin coloring” which is normal for human beings. However, a lot of people today make use of the term “Skin Pigmentation” to describe certain abnormalities in skin coloring.

There are actually different types of abnormal skin pigmentation. However, they can be classified into two categories: Hyperpigmentation and Hypopigmentation.

Hyperpigmentation is characterized by an excess of melanin in the skin. Abnormal pigmentation is actually a pretty normal condition, occuring in even healthy people. There are different types of hyperpigmentation, including birthmarks.

Birthmarks do not actually pose any health risks, although some people have their lives hampered by birthmarks, depending on the location. Birthmarks appear a few weeks after birth. They can be removed via laser treatments or cosmetic surgery.

Age spots are also a common form of abnormal skin pigmentation. Age spots, also known as sun spots, occur with age and increased sun exposure. Sun spots appear because the ultraviolet radiation from the sun triggers the skin to produce more melanin. An important fact to know about age spots is that once you have had enough sun exposure to produce sun spots, you might be vulnerable to skin cancer, although on their own, liver spots present no health risk.

Treatment for this type of abnormal skin pigmentation is possible and presents you with a variety of options.

Melasma is another type of abnormal skin pigmentation. This condition most often occurs with pregnancy, but men do also develop it. It can also occur with hormone therapy and such. Melasma actually goes away after pregnancy however there are several treatment options available for this type of abnormal skin pigmentation. A piece of advice to remember if you have to melasma is to stay out of the sun and use sunscreen, as exposure to ultraviolet radiation can worsen your condition.

Abnormal skin pigmentation could also occur after skin inflammation caused by a disease. This type of skin pigmentation may be caused by the disease itself or the drugs used to treat it. The pigmentation may be darkened by continued sun exposure. However, most types of post-inflammatory skin pigmentation will gradually disappear. If you do want to speed up the disappearance, there are a variety of creams and treatments that a dermatologist can recommend. Laser treatments and other forms of cosmetic surgery may help, but aren’t recommended, because they can also aggravate the pigmentation.

Hypopigmentation is a condition wherein the skin isn’t able to produce the right amount of melanin. This condition is best observed in Albinism, where a person’s skin has virtually no color, making it appear pink because of the underlying blood vessels.

Skin Pigmentation

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