Skin pigmentation: what is it, why do pigment spots appear on the body?

Pigmentation or hyperpigmentation of the skin - what is it?

In fact, there is nothing wrong with this term and such a defect has absolutely nothing to do with any diseases.
The dictionary definition states that this can be called the uneven distribution of coloring pigments over the surface of the epidermis. In our case, we are talking specifically about a substance such as melanin, produced by a certain type of cell (melanocytes). Excessive accumulation or deficiency can cause hyperpigmentation or, conversely, tissue discoloration. This is how dots and even extensive formations appear, which are clearly visible to the naked eye. However, not only this substance has coloring ability; there are others. These can be lipochromes, bilirubin, lipofuscin and many others, which are products of cell metabolism.

For diabetes

The appearance of dark spots at the bottom or top of the lower leg is a frequent “companion” of diabetes mellitus. With this disease, the skin of the legs becomes hypersensitive, which leads to increased hyperpigmentation. Most often, such rashes are accompanied by itching, burning, discomfort and unpleasant, painful sensations.

Darkened or reddened spots in diabetes mellitus may indicate necrobiosis.

Such rashes are large in size; in the middle you can see an atrophied area of ​​skin. This process is considered irreversible; in such cases, only symptomatic therapy is prescribed.

One of the most dangerous complications of diabetes is the appearance of trophic ulcers on the skin of the legs. In such cases, treatment methods are selected on an individual basis, most often surgical intervention is performed. After surgery, it is necessary to regularly treat the skin of the legs with special medications - for example, Actovegin.

Pigmentation (hyperpigmentation) in adults and children

People often wonder why and what causes pigment spots to appear on the body. There can be quite a few reasons, most of them will be answered in our article. Heredity may be a major factor. In such cases, visual defects appear from birth or at a very young age, because information about them is embedded in the DNA.

Therefore, there is no big difference when a person decides to deal with the problem. In the most extreme situations, when this seriously spoils the appearance, and, consequently, the quality of life, treatment with modern surgical techniques, for example, laser resurfacing, is indicated. However, these are extreme measures, and alternative options can always be found. Laennec Skincare – LNC offers to transform the skin at the cellular level, prevent and completely eliminate hyperpigmentation.

Features of varicose veins

In the absence of timely treatment, varicose veins lead to dangerous consequences, one of which is reddish-brown, blue or brownish-brown spots on the lower leg. They arise along the veins - both in front and behind.

The main types of vascular spots:

1. Inflammatory
   - develop against the background of capillary expansion over a long period of time.

2. Edema
   - such dark spots most often appear as a result of short-term dilation of blood vessels under the influence of environmental factors. This could be a bruise, burn or other stress to the skin.
3. Hemorrhagic
   - rashes develop as a result of increased permeability of blood vessels. They may indicate concurrent problems with the cardiovascular system.

Increased pigmentation of the skin of the legs can also be a concern after surgical removal of veins - sclerotherapy or phlebectomy. The rash is accompanied by additional symptoms - swelling of the ankle joint, loss of sensation in the limb. In case of such complications, a repeated visit to the surgeon is required.

Hair and eye coloring

Few people know that the color of the iris also directly depends on the amount produced, the depth of occurrence and the total mass of the main coloring pigment. The shade of the iris becomes darker when there is more melanin in the body and vice versa.

The situation with hair is approximately the same; the lighter it is, the fewer compounds are produced. Over the course of life, due to various internal and external circumstances, its release may intensify or subside due to various pathological or physical phenomena.

Face and body

There are a huge number of different reasons why skin hyperpigmentation appears. It can occur not only on the surface of the face, but also on the arms, back, legs, and abdomen. This may be due to genetics, various autoimmune disorders, excessive uncontrolled exposure to ultraviolet rays, insurmountable external circumstances, for example, the climatic characteristics of the region of residence, the environmental component, smoke or dust in cities.

Darkening on the stomach or back, on the arms or legs can appear after an inflammatory process in the epidermis. For some, insect bites cause light or dark areas of varying sizes that last a long time. Why is this happening? There are many prerequisites, they are worth discussing separately.

Causes of age spots on the body

The mechanism is simple - melanocytes participate in tissue healing, help rapid regeneration, and stop oxidation from the effects of free radicals. However, “working” on a certain place, they at the same time significantly darken it, which is why a stain is formed.

Problems with improper redistribution of melanin can arise with long-term use of certain medications. In the process of treating one imperfection, a person also earns an additional one - ugly darkened or light areas. Antibiotics and oral contraceptives also sometimes cause different types of darkening of the surface of the dermis.

Anti-age drugs

Curacen Essence (20 fl x 2 ml)

Laennec – solution for injection

Bb Laboratories – Serum “Arcanum”

Premium set “Ideal facial skin. Healthy tone"

Types of skin pigmentation disorders

They can be either primary (congenital) or secondary, that is, they are actually a consequence of some process in the body or outside it. The intensity may increase or decrease over time.

Cutaneous-ocular albinism

This heterogeneous disease can most often be diagnosed in the fetus while still in the womb. If the diagnosis was not established in time, then the disease manifests itself immediately after birth. The main signs are depigmentation of the skin (milky-white tint), iris, hair, and other things. Often accompanied by deafness and even epilepsy, actinic (solar) keratosis.

People with this diagnosis have a high risk of developing tumors in the dermis, for example, under the influence of sunlight. Therefore, doctors recommend them powerful photoprotective creams, as well as other drugs containing many retinoids.

Hyperpigmentation

This phenomenon consists of a special concentration of skin pigment, a significant increase in its color compared to normal. It is caused by its excessive production due to various processes in the body. The main shade of the epidermis directly depends on melanocytes, which are responsible for the production of melanin in special formations called melanosomes. Tyrosine and its derivative tyrosinase, which is related to copper, are responsible for the synthesis.

First, promelanin appears, which, under the influence of another enzyme, oxidase, is already converted into the final substance. From its immature cells, melanocytes are produced, which are found mostly in the basal epidermal layer. It is noteworthy that representatives of the light-skinned race have exactly the same number of them as dark-skinned people. However, the coloring component penetrates into all layers of the dermis, including the stratum corneum.

The appearance of hyperpigmentation: hyperchromia

Sometimes it can be limited, that is, appear only in certain places. Such disorders also include chloasma and maculae, commonly called freckles.

These formations can be regular or irregular in shape. Most often they are yellowish, yellow-brown or even brownish-brown. They can be located in the facial area (in the majority of cases), but also dispersed throughout the body (disseminated position). The main cause of this skin defect is genetics.

Freckles

Maculae first appear in children of primary school or preschool age, most often after prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. These are neat, oval or round, brown or red spots, the size of which can vary between 1-10 millimeters in length. For many people with this feature, pigmentation is clearly visible in spring and summer, but in the cold season it fades and becomes barely noticeable.

Such macules do not pose any threat to health, and they are diagnosed using a visual examination. However, it is still better to maintain a certain degree of dermal care. In warm weather, you should definitely use creams and ointments with photoprotective ingredients and SPF filters. It is not customary to remove freckles, but many cosmetologists recommend whitening compounds and keratolytic agents.

For the qualitative elimination of such defects, the injection and non-injection drug CURACEN is effective, which can “override” the main prerequisites for starting the process of melanogenesis. After testing, it turned out that it can even be used for recovery after various aggressive procedures (peelings, scrubbing, acid exfoliation). Its cosmetic non-injection form – CURACEN Essence – is also perfect for this. Among the best-proven tone-evening products are specialized preparations from the brands Bb Laboratories, Laennec Skincare - LNC, PlaReceta. They are developed by pharmacists, which guarantees their effectiveness and safety.

Chloasma

Melasma, cutaneous melanosis or melasma - all this refers specifically to this phenomenon and is an excessive deposition of a dye in the epidermis. Usually it looks like symmetrical formations of irregular shape, located mainly on the face. They are often brighter and darker than freckles and have a very indirect relationship to genetics. There are only two reasons for the appearance of chloasma:

• Excessive accumulation of phagocytes in the papillary layer, which capture melanin coming directly from the epidermis and absorb it.
• Increased concentration of the coloring component in the cells of the basal layer.

Such formations occur, which do not appear on the surface in any way, due to friction, during pregnancy and gynecological diseases in women, due to pressure or due to the use of certain oral contraceptives.

Hypopigmentation

The process is characterized by the fact that a person develops very weakly pigmented skin. The reason usually lies in the insufficient production of that same melanin, or its complete absence, for which they even came up with a special term - depigmentation. Its total deficiency is considered albinism, and its partial deficiency is itself a subtype of hypochromia.

Vitiligo

Scientists have not yet figured out where this disease came from and what causes it. However, it is thoroughly known that this is an acquired anomaly, which is in no way related to genetic mutations, but is related to such characteristics. Those who suffer from vitiligo often have problems with the endocrine system (adrenal glands, thyroid gland, pituitary gland).

The disease looks like whitish, colorless spots all over the body, growing and merging together. Sometimes before this you can observe erythema, that is, some redness and mild inflammation. Sometimes even hair on their surface becomes discolored, but not always. Sensitivity in the affected areas increases, inflammation from the sun often occurs, redness and itching appear.

Doctors do not yet have any effective treatment for vitiligo. But therapy is always prescribed to reduce the rate of development of spots, as well as unpleasant symptoms. If the defect interferes with the appearance and is located on the face, it is recommended to use various cosmetics, for example, decorative dyes in general, and dihydroxyacetone in particular.

Incomplete albinism

A cutaneous-ocular hereditary disease can be complete, in contrast to a purely cutaneous one, or incomplete. It is characterized by a lack of color and is genetic, that is, congenital in nature. Main signs:

• Translucent iris of the eyes.
• Completely whitish or unusually light hair.
• Hypopigmentation of the fundus.
• Hypomelanosis or complete absence of color.
• Acute reaction to too bright light.

There are several undesirable consequences that can occur with this disease. The first is a significant deterioration in vision, and the second is complete intolerance to light. That is, a person simply cannot be in the sun even for a limited time. There is no treatment that completely cures albinism, but all unpainted areas should, if possible, be hidden from direct ultraviolet rays and regularly treated with high-quality protective agents.

Tuberous sclerosis

This is a genetic disease that is transmitted as a dominant autosomal trait. In almost everyone who suffers from it, it manifests itself in the form of spots devoid of dye, located mainly on the buttocks and torso. The pathology appears around the fourth year of life and is characterized by seizures, sebaceous adenoma and even mental retardation.

The shape of depigmented spots is oval, but can be elongated, and the number is from one to several dozen. Additionally, they can be placed across the body, as well as along the arms and legs. Diagnosis is most often carried out using a CT scan, and relatives who have similar marks or have seizures of unknown origin are also checked.

Neurofibromatosis

Recklinghausen's disease is also inherited, like the previous one. Most often it first appears in children around 3 years of age as small pale yellow-brown or beige spots on the body, arms and legs. Their diameter can easily reach 10-15 centimeters, but there are also small ones, up to 1-3.

Moynihan syndrome

Sometimes this disease is poetically called “leopard” and it is not at all accidental. Pathology is also transmitted through genes in a dominant manner. With it, the entire surface of the body is usually covered with limited brownish areas of small size, in which the melanin content is very high. In this case, the syndrome is accompanied by other symptoms:

• Growth retardation compared to peers.
• Pulmonary artery stenosis.
• Severe genital pathologies.
• Deformation of the face, disruption of normal coloring.
• Deafness.

Chloasma of pregnancy

The main sign and symptom of this disease are hypermelanotic areas on the epidermis, that is, ordinary dark spots. Interestingly, similar darkening also occurs in men. It occurs more often in those who have previously taken oral contraceptives.

Doctors recommend the use of vitamin C, nicotinic and folic acids, as well as the use of external local remedies, such as natural keratolytics and creams with a whitening effect (diluted citric acid, juice or vinegar, hydrogen peroxide).

Pigmented papillary skin dystrophy

The reasons may lie in the development of this disease, which is also called acanthosis nigricans. It is expressed in brownish and brownish-brown spots that have a velvety rather than smooth surface. This phenomenon is often observed in those who suffer from various types of oncology, diabetes mellitus, Cushing's syndrome, Addison's disease, pituitary adenoma and others.

Urticaria pigmentosa

Patients symptomatically develop spots and papules, mostly not turning into pustules, of a reddish-brown or yellow-brown hue. In infants, this type of disease occurs spontaneously and most often goes away on its own, but sometimes after many years. Such pathologies are treated by prescribing antihistamines, although no special effect can be expected.

Impact of external factors

If a dark spot appears on the lower leg, this can be caused by completely natural, harmless factors.

• wearing uncomfortable, tight shoes;
• tight, constricting clothing that causes discomfort;
• improper epilation or shaving;
• allergic reaction to cosmetics and medications, as well as hygiene products;
• tanning in a solarium;

• allergy to self-tanning products;
• deficiency of vitamins in the diet;
• injuries, bruises and abrasions;
• changes in hormonal levels (during menstruation, menopause or pregnancy);
• age-related changes in the body;
• hereditary predisposition.

Dotted spots can be ordinary freckles and occur in a person of any age, both an adult and a child. They do not require drug treatment and should not cause concern.

In women, hyperpigmentation is most often observed during pregnancy.

The appearance of beige-brown rashes on the skin of the legs or other parts of the body is associated with hormonal “changes” in the body. They do not require special treatment and disappear on their own after the birth of the child.

Treatment

There are various methods to get rid of unwanted coloring. Their choice should primarily depend on the pathology itself, the person’s age, and whether he or she has any other problems. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to carry out a competent diagnosis, which is impossible without special equipment and experienced specialists.

Cosmetical tools

If the unwanted coloring is not a consequence of any disease, then you can use some cosmetic preparations. Effective creams and masks usually contain:

• parsley or jojoba extract;
• arbutin;
• kojic acid;
• vitamin C;
• hydroquinone.

It would be worth repeating that you should use any means only after consulting a doctor.

Cosmeceuticals

In addition to cosmetics, you can purchase effective, safe and high-quality placental preparations to eliminate various skin defects.

• Bb Laboratories - the line is highly effective due to the combination of biologically active substances, peptides, herbal extracts, hyaluronic acid and other components.
• GHC Placental Cosmetic is a series of products that saturates cells with beneficial biologically active compounds, activates the synthesis of collagen and elastin fibers, improves the regeneration process, and reduces wrinkles.
• PlaReceta & PiloPla - the line fights the signs of facial aging, restoring the dermis. The products are especially aimed at those with sensitive, dehydrated, flaky skin, providing effective care and maintaining youth.
• LAENNEC SkinCare - LNC is a placental and vitamin line aimed at eliminating age-related changes. It also helps in restoring the condition of the skin after photodamage. The products restore an even complexion, improve the condition of the skin during inflammation and prevent the formation of wrinkles.

Anti-age drugs

Bb Laboratories – Hyaluron-elastin-collagen extract

Laennec – solution for injection

Curacen Essence (20 fl x 2 ml)

Two-phase placental serum concentrate

Laser skin resurfacing

Often, girls and women choose similar salon procedures that help to quickly and without a trace cope with certain types of skin defects. The laser penetrates deeply into the epidermis and destroys melanin, eliminating everything quickly and safely. Problems usually do not arise after such “cleaning”, but you should only contact reliable and trusted specialists.

For atherosclerosis

Darkened spots on the skin of the legs may indicate the development of atherosclerosis. This disease occurs against the background of blockage of the blood vessels of the lower extremities with atherosclerotic plaques.

This disease is characterized by symmetrically located small rashes, the size of which does not exceed 2 cm. As atherosclerosis progresses, the spots noticeably increase in size. The appearance of spots on the legs is combined with other symptoms of atherosclerosis:

• fatigue during walking and physical activity;
• lameness when putting weight on the legs;
• cramps, numbness and a feeling of “pins and needles” in the legs;
• exhaustion and weight loss of the lower extremities;

• muscle fiber atrophy;
• long-term healing of scratches, wounds and injuries.

The severity of symptoms in atherosclerosis depends on aggravating factors, which include smoking, diabetes, and old age. Atherosclerosis requires urgent treatment, as this disease can cause many serious complications, including septic conditions, gangrene and the need for limb amputation.