Hyperpigmentation : Age Spots, Sunspots, Liver Spots
Medically Reviewed by Dr Sravya, MBBS, MS
Introduction
A common disease known as hyperpigmentation causes some skin parts to be darker than others. Spots or patches with excess melanin appear brown, black, grey, red, or pink. The areas are not unpleasant or uncomfortable, but they could make people feel self-conscious. Many dietary and lifestyle modifications, like wearing sunscreen and taking care of your skin, might be beneficial.
In This Article
- Hyperpigmentation: What is it?
- Hyperpigmentation : age spots, sunspots, liver spots
- Are sunspots a worry?
- Who is susceptible to hyperpigmentation?
- Why does hyperpigmentation occur?
- Other causes of hyperpigmentation are numerous
- Do symptoms of hyperpigmentation exist?
- How is the diagnosis of hyperpigmentation made?
- The way that hyperpigmentation is handled
- How can hyperpigmentation be avoided?
- How much time will I be hyperpigmented?
- How can I deal with liver spots, age spots, sun spots, and other hyperpigmented conditions?
- Do I ever need to see a doctor for my hyperpigmentation?
- Conclusion
Hyperpigmentation: What is it?
Various names for the spots include Hyperpigmentation age spots, liver spots, and sunspots. A common disease known as hyperpigmentation causes some parts of the skin to be darker than others. The terms “hyper” and “pigment” both refer to quantity.
Hyperpigmented age spots or patches might be brown, black, grey, red, or pink in appearance.
The spots may show up anywhere on the body or just in one region.
Hyperpigmentation : age spots, sunspots, liver spots
The hyperpigmentation known as sunspots, also known as age spots and liver spots, is frequent and usually unharmful. They most frequently manifest in those over the age of fifty. However, no known scientific or medical rationale has been found for why certain persons are more prone to the development of hyperpigmentation sunspots than others. Sunspots may be more likely to develop on those with poor skin pigmentation (pale skin), blonde or light-colored hair, light-colored eyes, and those who frequently use tanning beds or the sun.
Sunspot sufferers typically have skin areas that are:
Colored dark, tan, or brown Flat (not elevated like a mole)
- Oval or round in form
- Small—usually between the size of a freckle and the tip of your finger
In general, sunspots develop on the face, chest, shoulders, back, arms, and hands because these areas have been exposed to the most ultraviolet (UV) light or sun. Sunspots can also be brought on by an increase in the quantity of melanocytes or cells that make melanin.
Are sunspots a worry?
Sunspots are usually benign. However, they have the same potential to progress to skin cancer as their relatives, the freckle and the mole. Regular dermatology visits are crucial, especially if skin cancer runs in your family. Sunspot, freckle, or mole skin cancer symptoms and indicators include:
- Unusual form (the three should all be quite uniform and round or oval in shape)
- A variation in color or a grouping of colors
- Increasing in size either gradually or quickly
- Bleeding
Your dermatologist can identify sunspots with a normal, non-invasive examination. A biopsy of the region may be taken by your dermatologist if there is a chance that a sunspot is malignant. During a biopsy, a sample of the skin and underlying tissue is removed or excised and submitted to a lab for analysis. A MOH procedure, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and additional excision or removal of the tissue are among the treatment options if the results are skin cancer-positive. Non-cancerous sunspots don’t need to be treated and normally won’t be harmful to your health.
Who is susceptible to hyperpigmentation?
Anyone can develop hyperpigmentation, regardless of color or ethnicity.
Why does hyperpigmentation occur?
The pigment melanin, which skin cells generate, is what gives skin its colour. When those skin cells are damaged or ill, they may produce an excessive amount of melanin. It could appear darker because the melanin may gather there.
Other causes of hyperpigmentation are numerous
- When the body produces insufficient amounts of the hormone cortisol, it can cause adrenal diseases like Addison's disease.
- Genetics, like a family of freckle-wearers.
- Hormone adjustments, such as those brought on by puberty or pregnancy.
- Injury to the skin, also known as postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, might include acne, wounds, or burns.
- Pharmaceuticals, such as contraceptive pills and drugs for light sensitivity.
- Melasma.
- Getting too little of some vitamins, like folic acid and B12.
- Sun-related damage (these patches are also referred to as solar lentigines).
- Damage from the sun (these spots are sometimes known as solar lentigines).
- Thyroid conditions.
Do symptoms of hyperpigmentation exist?
Hyperpigmentation doesn’t have any symptoms other than dark areas. Consult a dermatologist (skin specialist) or your primary care physician if you experience skin spots along with any other symptoms.
How is the diagnosis of hyperpigmentation made?
- To identify hyperpigmentation, a medical professional might
- You should be questioned about your medical history, especially the onset of the darkened skin and the medications you are now taking.
- Examine your skin during a physical examination.
- Examine your skin with a Wood lamp, a specialized UV light.
- Get blood tests to check your iron, vitamins, hormones, and thyroid function.
- To screen for any abnormal skin cells, take a small sample of skin.
The way that hyperpigmentation is handled
To lessen the appearance of hyperpigmentation or to correct color, a variety of hyperpigmentation spot treatment techniques are available. While there are homeopathic treatments for sunspots, including vitamins and mild dermatologic acids, they are not always effective and may only offer short-term relief. Non-cancerous sunspots don’t require treatment, but there are best hyperpigmentation spot treatments available to remove them for aesthetic purposes.
- Cosmetic Peels : As was already indicated, the top layer of skin can be removed using specific dermatologic acids. Among them are chemical peels made of glycolic and salicylic acids. Chemical peels do not require anesthesia and are not a surgical treatment. Some people may find the burning sensation from chemical peels to be painful.
- Microdermabrasion : Your skin's outermost layer of skin cells is removed using a minimally invasive procedure called microdermabrasion by gently peeling or exfoliating it. By removing the top layer of skin and removing or diminishing the hyperpigmented cells, the area should become lighter. Anesthesia is normally not used during microdermabrasion.
- Laser Procedures : By resurfacing the skin, reducing elevated scars or hypertrophic scars, and removing melanin linked to hyperpigmentation, various laser treatments can treat a variety of skin conditions. The most intensive laser procedures, such as laser scar revision procedures provided at numerous sites throughout Burn and Reconstructive Centres of America's (BRCA) countrywide care network, are regarded as procedures and may require general anesthesia. Many plastic surgery clinics offer laser resurfacing procedures that are less intrusive and may simply require local anesthetic or none at all. These lasers effectively remove the hyperpigmented cells and promote skin cell renewal by burning off the top layer of skin using focused light beams. This is one of the best hyperpigmentation spot treatments.
- Cryotherapy : Unlike laser treatments, which employ heat, cryotherapy uses cold to freeze the sunspots. The dermatologist will freeze the sunspots using liquid nitrogen. The top layer of skin will be killed by freezing the sunspots, much like frostbite, and a new layer will be able to form in its stead. Warts, skin tags, and moles are among the skin imperfections treated with cryotherapy. Cryotherapy typically doesn't include anesthesia.
-
Personalized epidermal grafts : Autologous epidermal autografts are procedures in which a patient's biopsy or other bodily part is used elsewhere in the body. Sunspots may be treated with these autografts to help fill in the area and ensure a better color match while also reducing the chance of recurrent hyperpigmentation. They are frequently used to assist with pigment alterations. Your doctor may advise several lifestyle modifications depending on the reasons for the hyperpigmentation:
(i) Sun damage can be avoided by avoiding the sun, using sunscreen, and donning protective clothes.
(ii) Stopping any drugs that might be contributing to it.
(iii) Vitamin intake. -
Additionally, your doctor may advise topical therapy (creams or ointments applied to the skin), either on prescription or over-the-counter, including:
(i) Acid azelaic.
(ii) Corticosteroids.
(iii) Alpha-hydroxy acid or glycolic acid.
(iv) Hydroquinone.
(v) Kojic acid is a substance that can lessen the body's production of melanin.
(vi) Acid salicylate.
(vii) Skin lightening.
(viii) Tretinoin.
(ix) Either vitamin C or niacinamide (B3).
How can hyperpigmentation be avoided?
Although hyperpigmentation cannot always be avoided, avoiding the sun’s rays can help:
- Sun protection must be worn every day. Pick one of them with an SPF of 30 or more than 30 that is "broad spectrum" (blocks UVA and UVB rays).
- Avoid getting too much sun.
- Utilize physical barriers like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
- Put on caps and protective clothes.
How much time will I be hyperpigmented?
A lifelong condition, hyperpigmentation. Some black spots can be removed or lessened with treatment for liver spots. But it could take them a few months or a year to start working. And over time, new blemishes may develop, particularly if you don’t use sun protection.
How can I deal with liver spots, age spots, sun spots, and other hyperpigmented conditions?
You might feel self-conscious if hyperpigmentation appears on your skin.
- Prevent solar damage.
- Be patient with any therapies you attempt because results may not appear for several months.
- Avoid picking at any flaws, including pimples.
- Through internet forums or chat rooms, get in touch with other people who have hyperpigmentation.
- Understand that hyperpigmentation and other flaws are common. It's not just you.
- To make your skin look as healthy as possible, take care of it by frequently washing, exfoliating, and moisturizing.
Do I ever need to see a doctor for my hyperpigmentation?
You should see a doctor, like a dermatologist if your skin exhibits any of the following conditions:
- Red.
- The contact felt warm.
- Itchy.
- Painful.
- Leaking any liquid, including blood or pus.
- Prevention.
Although hyperpigmentation cannot always be stopped or prevented from growing more pronounced, there are certain strategies to lower the risk. This is possible by:
Sun protection must be worn every day. Pick one of them with an SPF of 30 or more 30 that is “broad spectrum” (blocks UVA and UVB rays).
Before using creams to lighten dark patches, obtain professional advice, as doing so could have side effects. Avoid using skin-lightening treatments to make the complexion lighter.
Conclusion
Hyperpigmentation is a frequent skin condition that can develop for a variety of causes. A few different types of hyperpigmentation include age spots, melasma, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Even though hyperpigmentation is generally harmless, some people could prefer to get rid of it or minimize it. Two options are to stay out of the sun and to use removal techniques such as cosmetic surgeries, creams, and home remedies.
A person should consult a doctor for help if they also have other symptoms in addition to hyperpigmentation.
A dermatologist can guide the most effective treatment options if someone wants to address hyperpigmentation for cosmetic reasons.
