Your skin, eyes, and hair get their color from a substance in your body called melanin.
The amount of melanin in your skin and these other parts of the body creates your naturalpigmentationor skin color.
This can include hormones, infections, and environmental changes.
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In some cases, these substances can damage melanin production, resulting in lighter areas of skin.
When medications cause hyperpigmentation, they usually cause areas of your skin to turn darker.
Tanning beds can also increase your risk of dark spots as you age.
Trauma to the Skin
Injuries are another possible cause of hyperpigmentation.
Called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, darker areas that appear after injury or irritation can take a long time to resolve.
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)produced by thepituitary glandand thyroid disorders have also been linked to hyperpigmentation.
Prescription-strength formulas can give you the same ingredients, like retinoids, at stronger doses.
Talk to your doctor or dermatologist to figure out your diagnosis and the best treatment plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pigmentation is the natural coloring of your skin.
Hyperpigmentation triggers when the substances that give your skin its color, like melanin, are overproduced.
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