Discoloration of Skin

All of us want to have a smooth, glowing skin, isn't it? But then there are several of us who get discolored skin due to dark spots, white spots or some other conditions. Today, whitening and bleaching options have become available wherein you can remove skin discoloration to some extent, but then they are quite complicated and take some understanding to get the right selection.

Causes of Skin Discoloration
Some of the most common reasons for discoloration of skin are:

• Birthmarks: Sometimes, skin is discolored from the time of birth in shades of brown and red. The exact reasons are still unknown, but at times they are related to deformities in blood vessels.
• Moles: Moles are brownish black blemishes and they are formed when there is coagulation of melanin, the natural pigment of the skin.
• Age Spots: Usually these appear on the face, hands and chest and is mainly caused due to aging. Several people mistake them for freckles. Age spots are irregular and larger in shape than freckle spots.
• Melasma: They are stains on the chest and face, brown in color and are commonly found in women in the latter half of pregnancy or in those on birth control pills. In this case discoloration of skin is caused due to increased production of hormones which in turn increases the production of melanin pigment. When this pigment settles unevenly in the skin, it causes discoloration.
• Vitiligo: A very rare condition, vitiligo results in total loss of skin pigment. People suffering from pernicious anemia, improper functioning of adrenal glands or thyroid disorders are most susceptible to this skin problem.

Symptoms and Diagnosis
Discoloration of skin can be pretty unattractive, but the best part is you can easily get rid of it. You don't need to go through expensive laser surgery neither do you have to face irritation caused by chemicals. However, you would first have to consult a dermatologist for an exact diagnosis of the condition. Here are some symptoms of skin discoloration that can affect various parts of the body.

Facial Skin
Facial skin is one of the most prominent feature of our personality and its discoloration does cause everyone to worry. Discoloration of face can be due to several reasons, the most common being, excess exposure to sunlight, aging, harmful effects of pollution, unhealthy diet and improper lifestyle. At times the skin appears darker due to the overproduction of melanin thereby causing patches on the skin. If skin is discolored due to these reasons, you can get rid of offending patches by cosmetic remedies such as bleaching agents, but make sure that you get it done by a professional. Moreover, diseases may also be the reason for discolored skin, and if after taking proper skin care, you don't see any change, you should consult a dermatologist.

Skin on the Neck
The main reason for discolored skin on the neck is overexposure to UV radiation. This is an area where melanin is accumulated in excess. The best way avoid this is to wear a sunscreen, if you intend to go out in the Sun for an extended period. However, if spots have already started developing, then you need to apply a discoloration cream. If you are using a cream which prevents skin discoloration make sure that it effectively deals with the melanin and it should also contain antioxidants so as to protect the skin against free radicals.

It can also be due to a skin disease called acanthosis nigricans. This skin disease causes thickening and darkening of certain areas where the skin folds or creases, such as, neck, armpits or groin. The skin of a person getting acanthosis nigricans would become dark, thick and velvety. The skin color would become brown or tan in color. Usually adults who are overweight and diabetic are prone to this condition. Cure for acanthosis nigricans has not been found yet, but it has been found that losing weight can to an extent reduce the condition.

Skin on the Back
The most common reason for skin discoloration on back is scleroderma diabeticorum. Though rare, people with diabetes are prone to this condition. It causes the skin, especially on the back, to thicken and discolor due to the increased cross linking of collagen. You need to control your blood sugar level to treat this condition, besides there are lotions and moisturizers which help in softening the skin.

Discolored Skin Between Legs
Discoloration of skin between legs shouldn't be a cause of worry. It is that region of the body where skin is darker than other parts. Usually discolored skin between legs is due to accumulation sweat which may cause sweat dermatitis. However, if the area is accompanied by rashes or itching, it may be due to some infection, especially fungus infection. In such a case, it's advisable not to scrub the area often as scrubbing would help infection spread to new areas. Moreover, you should keep the areas clean and prevent collection of sweat.

Avoid Skin Discoloration
It is easy to avoid skin discoloration. The vital precaution you can take is to maintain your skin moisturized. You can do so by consuming or increasing raw fruits and vegetables. It is also important to pay attention to the nutrients such as vitamins that are important to the skin. One way of avoiding the skin discoloration induced by fungal infection is to use lactic acid which you can get from yogurt. Chewing a few cloves of ginger daily eliminates pathogens which may cause this skin problem. Drink plenty of water and reduce the quantity of sugar and white floor in your diet.

Treat Skin Discoloration
There are a few home remedies that can be used to minimize or get rid of skin discoloration. You can use a consistent paste of tomato juice, cucumber juice and sandalwood powder for this purpose. Use this paste on the discolored body part and let it act for 20-30 minutes before washing it off.

Raw potatoes, finely grated or juiced can also work well for this purpose. When applied to the skin for 30 minutes, the bleaching agents in it help to restore the natural skin color. Follow this remedy for 15 days, twice a day.

Applying fresh lime juice to the affected part of the skin and washing it off after 20-25 minutes can also be useful in getting rid of the discolored skin. Another way of using lemon for this skin condition is to rub its peel on the discolored skin 2 times a day.

Discoloration of skin can be due to several reasons, but you should make it a point to follow a healthy diet and maintain a proper health routine so as to prevent discolored skin.