Increased melanin pigment
You will find the most important information about melanin pigmentation symptoms, treatment methods, and other important information in the following article.
Excess melanin or hyperpigmentation is a common skin condition that occurs in all skin types and colors and appears as dark patches. Here is the most important information about increasing melanin pigment in the following article:
Increased melanin pigment
Some areas of the body are affected by an increase in melanin pigment more than others, especially those that are more exposed to sunlight, such as: the face, arms, and legs, and an increase in melanin pigment in some areas of the body can be considered a harmless or harmful skin condition, but in other cases it may indicate Presence of a satisfactory condition.
Increased melanin pigment in the skin is due to:
1. Excessive sun exposure
Sunspots or age spots occur due to an increase in the production of melanin pigment, as it appears in a brownish color compared to the color of the surrounding skin, when exposed to a large amount of ultraviolet radiation coming from sunlight, tanning beds, or nail polish lamps, for example.
Sunspots can be common in middle age and beyond, hence the name age spots, although they can appear at any age with significant exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
2. Hormone problems
Pregnancy causes a change in hormones that increase the secretion of melanin, which causes melasma.
Melasma is the appearance of brown or gray-brown spots on some areas more than others, such as: the forehead or cheeks and the upper lip.
3. Inflammation
The occurrence of inflammation in the skin stimulates melanocytes to produce more melanin pigment and then store it in the skin cells of the affected area, which leads to the appearance of a dark color.
This type of melanin hyperpigmentation can occur in anyone, but dark-skinned people may be affected more, as the pigmentation is darker in color and lasts longer than light-skinned people.
Symptoms of increased melanin pigment
Symptoms of increased melanin pigmentation include:
- Brown or black spots on the area overexposed to UV rays.
- Relatively large spots of a dark color compared to the color of the surrounding skin, especially during pregnancy, which is known as melasma.
- Small or large spots of a dark color that appear after an inflammatory condition, such as: acne or eczema .
Treatment of increased melanin pigment
It is treated by one of the following treatment options:
1. Skin lightening creams
Some of the treatments used to reduce irritation include:
- Hydroquinone.
- Licorice extract.
- Vitamin B3 or Niacinamide.
2. Exfoliating acids for the skin
Among the acids used to exfoliate the skin and regenerate cells are the following:
- Alpha hydroxy acids, such as glycolic acid.
- Azelaic acid.
- Kojic acid.
- Vitamin C or ascorbic acid.
3. Vitamin A derivatives
Vitamin A derivatives help regenerate cells in general, which may help reduce pigmentation. Vitamin A derivatives include the following:
- Adapalene.
- Tretinoin.
3.Cosmetic medical procedures
You can also professionally treat pigmentation or increase melanin in the clinic with chemical peels, laser peels, or intense pulsed light therapy.
Methods of prevention of increased melanin pigment
You can avoid hyperpigmentation due to excess melanin pigment as much as possible by following these tips:
- Make sure to use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and reapply it every two hours.
- Avoid exposure to artificial UV rays from tanning beds, for example.
- Try to wear long-sleeved clothing or a wide-brimmed hat.
- Avoid exposure to the sun in general between the hours of ten in the morning and three in the evening.