Hyper Pigmentation

Hyper pigmentation is the condition where the skin darkens in patches due to an overproduction of the skin pigment, melanin. Melanin is the pigment responsible for giving the skin its color. People of African have more melanin as compared to Caucasian people. This means they have more chances of developing hyper pigmentation complications. Hyper pigmentation is not only caused by the sun as most people tend to think. It actually can be caused by other factors.

The main factor involved when it comes to hyper pigmentation is melanin. This is because when melanin is exposed to a lot of sunlight, melanocytes found inside this skin pigment will cause more melanin to be produced, thus leading to darker skin commonly referred to as a tan. However if there were parts of the skin that were already dark, this could lead to them getting darker in the case of freckles, for example. In as much as the causes of hyper pigmentation can’t be pinpointed on exactly, there are some that seem to be causing it.

Unprotected Exposure To The Sun
This is the main cause for almost all pigmentation related skin conditions. Whenever we go out into the sun unprotected we usually realize hours later that we are darker, in fact some people stay in the sun on purpose to get a tan. However without the right protection and prolonged exposure you may get more than you bargained for when you develop hyper pigmentation as a result of it in the form of age spots, liver spots or freckles.

The best way to protect yourself would be to wear protective clothing and items whenever you expose yourself to the sun. Such things are like sunglasses for your areas and the sensitive skin surrounding them; hats to protect your face and sunscreen to protect your skin.

Hormones During Pregnancy
A skin condition called melasma, chloasma or the mask of pregnancy is as a result of the overproduction of melanin due to hormonal changes during pregnancy. A woman’s body undergoes a lot of changes when pregnant and a hormonal change is one of them. This leads to melanin being produced in high levels causing some parts of the skin to darken. This can occur on the back of the arms and face. Other studies have proven that melasma can occur on the abdomen as well. A few years ago, melasma was known to be a case for women who were pregnant but there have been cases of men developing it and women who’ve never fallen pregnant.

Other causes of hyper pigmentation are inflammation, illness and some types of medicine.

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