Random dark spots on skin: Dark spots on the skin: Causes, treatments, and remedies
Dark spots on the skin: Causes, treatments, and remedies
Dark spots on the skin, or hyperpigmentation, occur due to an overproduction of melanin. Melanin gives the eyes, skin, and hair their color.
Dark spots on the skin are not a cause for concern and do not need treatment, though people may choose to remove them for cosmetic reasons. Depending on the cause, people may call some types of dark spots on the skin age spots or sunspots.
In this article, we look at what causes dark spots on the skin and how people can remove them using dermatological treatments and home remedies.
Share on PinterestDark spots are common on the face, shoulders, and back of the hands.
Dark spots on the skin can range from light brown to dark brown. The color of dark spots may depend on the tone of a person’s skin. The spots are the same texture as the skin and are not painful.
Dark spots also vary in size and can develop on any part of the body but are most common in areas often exposed to the sun.
Dark spots are common in the following areas:
- back of the hands
- face
- back
- shoulders
In people with darker skin, a spot that is a few shades darker than the skin usually fades away within 6 to 12 months. Deeper coloration can take years to fade. Deep color changes often appear blue or gray, though a spot may also be a much darker brown than a person’s natural skin color.
There are several different causes of dark spots, as we describe here:
Sun damage
Also called sunspots, solar lentigines, or liver spots, people can develop dark spots on their skin after being exposed to the sun or tanning beds.
Areas of the body that receive the most sun exposure, such as the face, hands, or arms, are most likely to develop sun spots.
Hormonal changes
Melasma is a skin condition that leads to small patches of skin discoloration. The condition is more common in women, especially during pregnancy.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, hormones may trigger melasma.
Medication side effects
Certain medications can increase skin pigmentation and lead to dark spots. The most common culprits are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), tetracyclines, and psychotropic drugs.
Inflammation
Dark spots can develop after a bout of inflammation on the skin. Inflammation may occur for various reasons that include eczema, psoriasis, injury to the skin, and acne.
Wound healing
Dark spots may remain after an insect bite, burn, or cut heals. These may fade with time.
Irritation
Cosmetic skin or hair products can irritate the skin, causing dark patches to form.
Diabetes
Diabetes can cause areas of the skin to become darker.
Conditions associated with diabetes include acanthosis nigricans, which causes darkened, velvety skin, and shin spots or diabetic dermopathy, which people may confuse with age spots.
Share on PinterestLaser treatment can remove dark spots on the skin.
Dark spots on the skin do not require treatment, but some people may want to remove the spots for cosmetic reasons.
A dermatologist can offer creams or procedures to lighten dark spots, or in some cases, remove them. Procedures are more expensive than creams and are more likely to cause side effects, though they tend to work faster.
The best treatment option may depend on the cause, the size of the dark spot, and the area of the body.
A dermatologist may recommend one of the following treatments for dark spots on the skin:
Laser treatment
Different types of lasers are available. The most common laser to treat dark spots on the skin uses an intense pulse light laser. The light targets melanin and breaks up the dark spots.
Microdermabrasion
During microdermabrasion, a dermatologist uses a special device that has an abrasive surface to remove the outer layer of the skin. This treatment promotes new collagen growth, which may help reduce spots.
Chemical peels
A chemical peel involves applying a solution to the skin, which exfoliates the surface, leading to new skin growth.
It may gradually fade dark spots on the skin.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is a procedure that involves applying liquid nitrogen to the dark patches to freeze them, which injures the skin cells. The skin often heals lighter afterward.
Prescription skin-lightening cream
Prescription-lightening cream works by bleaching the skin. It typically works gradually and takes several months to decrease the appearance of dark spots.
Hydroquinone, which is the active ingredient in the creams, prevents the skin from producing melanin. Prescription products tend to have a strength of 3–4 percent.
Injectable skin lightening products are available, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not recommend them. There is not enough evidence to suggest that they work, and there may be associated health risks.
In addition to dermatological procedures and prescription medications, people may find that some home remedies might fade dark spots on the skin, as the following sections discuss.
Over-the-counter creams
Over-the-counter skin creams to lighten skin are not as strong as prescription medications, but they may also work.
Creams and serums contain various ingredients, including retinol or alpha hydroxy acid, which may speed up the exfoliation of the skin and promote new skin growth.
When looking for a skin-lightening cream, always choose one recommended by a dermatologist, as some products can be harmful.
Natural remedies
Products with certain natural ingredients may help treat dark spots on the skin.
Researchers published a systematic review of clinical studies that used natural products to treat dark spots on the skin. They looked at several ingredients including niacinamide (a form of vitamin B-3), soy, licorice extracts, and mulberry.
Although studies were limited, the researchers said that these natural treatments showed promise in lightening hyperpigmentation.
Results of a small-scale 2017 study suggest that applying an aloe vera gel to the skin could help reduce melasma during pregnancy after 5 weeks.
Cosmetics
Although cosmetics do not lighten dark spots, they might cover them up. People can consider using a cream-based concealer to decrease the appearance of spots.
People may wish to keep in mind that many of the home remedies that webpages recommend may have side effects or no evidence of effectiveness. Examples include lemon and apple cider vinegar. No studies back the claims that these treatments work.
In some cases, unproven treatments may aggravate the skin. For example, the American Society for Dermatological Surgery do not recommend lemon juice or abrasive scrubs, as these methods could make dark spots worse.
Some skin lightening products can do more harm than good. Many contain ingredients that can harm the skin or overall health, such as mercury or steroids. Applying these can cause pimples, rashes, and fragile skin over time.
Share on PinterestA doctor or dermatologist may use a Wood’s lamp skin exam to diagnose dark spots on the skin.
A doctor or dermatologist can often work out the cause of dark spots on the skin by examining them and taking a medical history.
During a physical exam, the healthcare professional might perform a Wood’s lamp skin exam, where they view the spots through a special device that emits black light.
In some instances, specific characteristics of a spot might require more tests to make sure skin cancer is not causing the spot.
Anyone can develop dark spots on the skin. Certain risk factors appear to increase a person’s chances including:
- sun exposure
- pregnancy
- skin conditions, such as acne, eczema, or psoriasis
- trauma or injury to the skin
- medications that increase pigmentation
- liver disease
- diabetes
It may not always be possible to prevent dark spots on the skin from developing. For example, hormonal changes during pregnancy that may lead to melasma are not preventable.
There are, however, a few things people can do to decrease the chances of dark spots and prevent them from getting darker:
- Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every day, even when the sun is not bright.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses to protect the skin further.
- Treat skin conditions, such as acne, which may lead to inflammation.
- Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when it tends to be strongest.
In most cases, dark spots on the skin are not harmful. But in some instances, it might be hard to tell the difference between a dark spot and other skin changes, such as melanoma, which is a type of skin cancer.
People who are unsure what a dark spot is or have not been able to get rid of it can see a doctor to find out more.
It is important to talk to a doctor if any dark spot on the skin:
- appears suddenly
- itches
- tingles
- bleeds
- changes color or size
Learn about how to identify melanoma and other forms of skin cancer here.
Dark spots on the skin, or hyperpigmentation, can have a range of causes. They are usually harmless and do not need treatment. If a person wants to get rid of dark spots, they can try a range of treatments, including working with a dermatologist for cosmetic procedures or using over-the-counter products.
The effectiveness of treatment may depend on the cause of the dark spots and their extent. Dark spots on the skin may not completely fade. It may take a while to see a difference, but treatment often lightens the spots.
Read the article in Spanish.
5 skin spots you shouldn’t worry about
Some spots caused by aging and sun exposure are benign, while others need medical attention. Learn the difference.
If you’ve recently spent any time in the sun, you may have noticed that you have a few more spots—brown or tan or white—on the exposed parts of your body. Even if you always use sun protection now, you can still develop skin changes caused by sun exposure decades ago. The good news is that most of these will not be cancerous. However, distinguishing benign spots from those that warrant medical attention can be somewhat tricky. Though the following are caused by sun exposure, they won’t progress to cancer.
1. Freckles
If you’ve had freckles since you were a kid, you no doubt know how they behave—darkening in the sun and heat and fading in the winter.
Freckles themselves are not a cause for worry, but they signal an increased risk of developing skin cancer.
2. Melasma
This condition, marked by irregular dark patches, is more common in women and may appear in one’s 20s and 30s. The patches are often triggered by excessive sun exposure and intensified by changes in hormone levels associated with contraceptives, pregnancy, or postmenopausal hormone therapy. Low levels of thyroid hormone may also contribute. Melasma can affect people with all skin types and become darker with sun exposure. It may disappear during menopause as estrogen and progesterone levels decline.
3. Lentigines
These are commonly called “age spots” or “liver spots.” They are irregular in shape, larger than freckles, and vary from tan to very dark brown. They occur in sun-exposed skin. Some are direct consequences of severe sunburns. They are common in people of all skin types.
4. Seborrheic keratoses
These are usually round, dark, and raised.
They are often described as appearing to be stuck on, like a piece of gum. If you’re unsure whether you have a seborrheic keratosis or a melanoma, see a dermatologist.
5. “White spots”
The medical term for these small smooth spots is idiopathic guttate hypo-melanoses. Women are more likely than men to have this condition and usually develop it after age 40, usually on areas of the body exposed to the sun.
What should you do about them?
There is no medical reason to treat any of the above, but scores of over-the-counter products are promoted for reducing the appearance of dark spots or improving skin tone. This is a buyer-beware situation, because these products are cosmetics rather than prescription drugs, their manufacturers don’t have to demonstrate their effectiveness.
However, dermatologists have several proven techniques for treating dark and light skin patches, including chemical peels and prescription ointments containing hydroquinone or retinoic acid.
Laser therapy can be effective for dark spots. All of these treatments are considered cosmetic, so your insurance won’t pay for them.
When to see a dermatologist
Check your skin regularly for moles that are new, growing, changing, or irregular in shape and color. They could be a sign of melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer, and should be checked by a dermatologist as soon as possible. If melanoma runs in your family or if you have more than 40 moles, have used tanning beds, or have had several sunburns, you’re at increased risk and should have your skin checked regularly by a dermatologist.
Solar, or actinic, keratoses also warrant a trip to the dermatologist because they can progress to a form of cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. They are red, pink, tan, or clear bumps that often feel rough or scaly. They may also appear as sandpapery patches that are hard to distinguish from the surrounding skin, except by touch. Although not quite as deadly as melanoma, squamous cell skin cancer can grow deep into surrounding tissue and can occasionally spread to other parts of the body.
You should see a dermatologist if you find any new growths or skin changes that last for more than a couple of weeks. The American Academy of Dermatology’s website has tools to help you spot suspicious growths. Go to www.aad.org and click “Spot skin cancer.”
Image: Goodboy Picture Company/Getty Images
Age spots on the body: treatment, causes, symptoms
Age spots are harmless and do not cause any particular inconvenience, except that they spoil the appearance and contribute to the development of complexes and self-doubt. To understand how to deal with them, in this article we will first find out the reasons for their appearance, and then we will figure out how to get rid of unnecessary pigmentation.
What are age spots?
Age spots are flat, often rounded, areas of the skin that differ in color from the rest of the skin and stand out on it. If you find a spot on your body that differs in color from the rest of the skin, then this is a pigment spot.
There may be several such spots.
So why do these spots appear? First of all, this is due to the fact that skin pigmentation is impaired.
Causes of hyperpigmentation.
In men and women, pigmented formations appear for several reasons.
- Exposure to UV rays in a solarium or outdoors. Due to the fact that when exposed to ultraviolet rays, the skin synthesizes melanin, just a tan appears. But, if you abuse the stay in the sun or in the solarium, then there is excessive pigmentation.
- Pigmentation may be caused by hormonal changes. The point is again in melanin, for the production of which, last but not least, the endocrine glands responsible for the synthesis of hormones are responsible.
- Pregnancy can provoke the appearance of spots, in which powerful hormonal changes occur.
- Pigmentation may appear after injury. The integrity of the skin is broken, and post-traumatic hyperpigmentation occurs.
- Some medications cause the side effect of excessive skin pigmentation.
- Liver diseases very often affect the appearance, including the appearance of age spots.
- Poor-quality and incorrectly selected cosmetics contribute to changes in the skin.
- Various inflammations are a concomitant factor for pigmentation.
- Hormonal contraceptive pills provoke unnecessary pigmentation.
- Sometimes there is a hereditary factor.
These are the main reasons, there are others, for example, the performance of cosmetic procedures by people who do not have the appropriate professional skills and specialization.
What are age spots?
In winter, melasma brighten, and darken in summer, as they are very sensitive to ultraviolet radiation.How to treat age spots?
Today there are several ways to treat hyperpigmentation.
After their application, the skin brightens and the spots become invisible.There are also folk remedies, but not only do they not give a guaranteed result, but they can also harm the skin.
The best and most reliable way is laser treatment or phototherapy. It’s fast and efficient. In
our clinic of laser cosmetology “Laser Estctic” we use modern laser devices Candela and Lumenis IPL QUANTUM, which are
recognized as the safest in the world, to remove age spots! Call us or leave a request on the website to sign up for
procedure.
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Age spots on the body and face: why they appear and how to get rid of them
Age spots are areas of the skin that have darkened for various reasons.
They have a brown tint and noticeably differ in color from the surrounding tissues. Unlike skin changes caused by infections, injuries, or a fungus, age spots never become inflamed, so they are considered a purely cosmetic defect.
At the same time, in addition to worsening the appearance, age spots also cause other problems, often complicated by dryness and roughness of the skin, wrinkles, etc., which is why they are trying to get rid of them.
Causes of age spots
The color of human skin depends on the concentration of pigments. Lack or excess of melanin, carotene and other pigment substances leads to the formation of pigment spots of different colors and sizes. Colored areas of the skin can be congenital or appear with age. Often starts the ultraviolet process – when tanning in the sun or in a solarium. This is due to the fact that melanin, which gives brown color, protects the skin from exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The more it gets on the skin, the more melanin is produced.
There are many other reasons due to which age spots form on the face and body. Often this is a consequence of serious disorders in the body. Therefore, if you notice new age spots in yourself, you should consult a doctor. The production of pigments is enhanced by:
Natural and premature aging.
Hormonal problems associated with thyroid diseases, pituitary tumors.
Liver diseases.
Neuropsychiatric disorders.
Avitaminosis, metabolic disorders.
Gynecological diseases.
Drugs and cosmetics can provoke a problem. Also, age spots are not uncommon during pregnancy.
Do not confuse age spots and malignant neoplasms of the skin – these are completely different processes. If age spots can be left untouched or removed, and in both cases this will not affect general health, then oncological formations require long-term, serious treatment.
Types of age spots and methods for their removal
Brown spots can be small, large, single and multiple. They can have a different shape, usually close to oval, and a different color from light red to dark brown. The most common age spots are freckles, birthmarks, and age spots.
Freckles. This type of pigmentation is characteristic of fair-skinned people. Freckles usually appear on open areas of the body – the face, arms, ears, upper back and chest. Their color changes depending on the intensity of the sun. It is believed that freckles are caused by an uneven distribution of pigment in the skin, so over time, when the body gets stronger and adapts, they turn pale or completely disappear. Many girls, especially red-haired ones, go for freckles – they give individuality, but this is not always the case. Too contrasting and extensive pigmentation is a reason for complexes, so they are “brought out”.
Freckles can be removed in many ways. Traditional medicine, for example, recommends using parsley juice for skin whitening.
Of course, this method will not work immediately – it will take several months. Cosmetology offers much more effective methods. You can quickly reduce freckles with the help of chemical peeling with a base of fruit or lactic acids or laser skin resurfacing.
Birthmarks. Moles (nevi) can form anywhere on the body. They are uniform in shape and rather dark in color. Unlike freckles, melanin, which forms a pigment spot, is located in several layers of the skin, so removing a mole is more difficult than freckles. Moles have one feature – they can degenerate into cancer, so it is recommended to remove large and suspicious formations. They also remove birthmarks located in places of contact with the seams of clothing, belts and in areas subjected to shaving. An injured mole is a gateway for infection: it can become inflamed, bleed and get wet.
A direct indication for contacting the clinic is a change in the shape, volume and color of the birthmark. Especially dangerous are black and asymmetrical moles, bleeding or flaky spots with cracks.
Moles without signs of oncology are removed with liquid nitrogen, diathermocoagulation or laser. Laser removal of birthmarks pigment spots is most preferable, as it does not injure the surrounding tissues and does not leave scars. And removing moles with a laser does not hurt at all, so many patients choose this particular technique.
Age spots. Unfortunately, these signs of impending old age cannot be prevented. Lentigo – this is the name of this type of pigmentation – appears in people after 40 years. Such age spots are especially noticeable during menopause, when pigmentation is spurred on by hormonal changes. Lentigo is localized, like freckles, in places where the skin was exposed to constant solar radiation – on the face, arms, chest and back. Women, noticing such pigmentation, are upset, because it is impossible to hide brown spots and they clearly give out age.
Age pigmentation can be removed only by cosmetic methods – traditional medicine will not help here.
You can try medium or deep chemical peels or low-impact laser removal. The advantage of the latter method is undeniable – after the procedure, only a slight redness remains in place of the spots, which quickly disappears. With a deep chemical peel, the cosmetologist completely removes the top layer of the skin, so it will take at least a month to recover.
Large pigment spots. Melasma is a significant cosmetic defect. Unlike moles, such age spots have an uneven shape and look very unattractive. Their coloration intensifies in the sun – in spring and summer, and in winter the pigmentation subsides. Large age spots are a sign of hormonal changes, so they often occur during pregnancy, taking hormones, and the onset of menopause.
Large age spots can go away on their own, but women do not want to wait for this moment, so many resort to the help of a beautician. Light peeling, special whitening masks, laser skin resurfacing, etc. can reduce the color of such spots.
Treatment of age spots
Age spots can be removed only in the clinic after examination by a specialist.
The doctor evaluates the depth and size of pigmentation, the quality of education, excluding the oncological process. After that, a decision is made on the removal method. If earlier a scalpel and concentrated acids and alkalis were used for these purposes, now medicine offers much more gentle and effective methods.
Chemical peeling and dermabrasion remove extensive pigment spots, the superficial “dead” layer of the skin. The result is a beautiful complexion, reduction of deep wrinkles. The technique is traumatic, therefore it is recommended for older women with significant skin changes.
Microminiaturization is suitable for spot removal of deep pigmentation. The technique involves the vacuum introduction of the active drug into the skin.
Mesotherapy is a complex injection technique. Suitable for improving skin color, its vitaminization and healing.
Photoremoval and laser exposure is used for any type of skin and age spots of any size.
