Worried about your hyperpigmentation? Well, as you know, the human skin is prone to a large number of problems. From genetics to bad hygiene, many factors can play a key role behind the health of your skin. There are a large number of common skin diseases and conditions, for which treatment options are available today. Modern medicine has allowed us to know more about various skin problems. Most skin diseases today are easily treatable through medication, if not through home remedies. One such skin problem, which we are more aware of today, is hyperpigmentation.
Even if you know what skin condition you are suffering from, it is important to know what is causing the condition. Hyperpigmentation is essentially caused by the excess production of melanin by the melanocyte cells of our body. A number of factors encourage the abnormal increase in melanin production.
Here are the most commonly known causes behind the excess melanin production, which result in hyperpigmentation.
We all know that sunlight makes our skin darker. But tanning might not leave you with a uniformly tanned skin. For many, tanning can lead to hyperpigmentation. When our skin is exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun, it produces an inflammatory response. This response takes place right at the moment your skin is exposed to sunlight, but the levels are so low that it goes unnoticed. Yet, if you keep your skin exposed to sunlight for a longer period of time, the inflammation levels increase.
When the inflammation levels are high, our bodies start producing inflammatory mediators. These hormones are responsible for a large number of skin reactions. The activation of melanocytes is one of the responses caused by these hormones. Once the melanocytes are activated, the melanin production begins. Over the years, if your skin is exposed to the sun for prolonged periods of time, the melanocytes might remain permanently active. So, we see that inflammation caused by sunlight exposure is the main cause behind melanin production in our skin.
Anything from a cut to a pimple can damage your skin, leading to excess melanin production. When you have any kind of skin damage, your body copes with it by producing an inflammatory reaction. This reaction again leads to the activation of the melanocytes in our skin. Apart from an inflammatory reaction, when your skin is injured, it might not be able to regenerate the skin pigments, which were there before. When the skin pigments cannot be regenerated, darker pigments get generated over the damaged area. Any kind of skin disease like eczema can also be a factor behind hyperpigmentation.
When you experience any kind of allergic reaction, your skin might have an inflammatory reaction. If you are severely allergic to something, your body might go into overdrive when you come into contact with that substance. And that causes skin irritation. There are high chances of your skin showing inflammatory reactions. For example, poison ivy might end up activating the melanocytic cells, resulting in hyperpigmentation.
There are many medicines, which might show hyperpigmentation as a side effect. Topical retinoids, antibiotics, anti-seizure drugs, hormone medication, non-steroidal drugs as well as chemotherapeutic drugs can lead to hyperpigmentation. Again, we see that the medication might cause hormonal changes in our bodies, which can lead to the activation of the melanocytic cells. When the cells are activated, there is an excess production of melanin. Hyperpigmentation can be a side effect of many medications, which one might be forced to use.
Facial hair removal might lead to hyperpigmentation. But, you do not have to worry about hyperpigmentation, whenever you need to get rid of facial hair. Threading or even shaving does not cause hyperpigmentation. When you remove the hair from the root or expose the root to harsh chemicals, chances are that it will cause an inflammatory response. If you choose to tweeze, wax or use depilatory creams, use mild skin products till your skin heals and goes back to normal.
The rise in estrogen and progesterone levels generally caused by pregnancy or birth control pills can be one of the causes of hyperpigmentation. The hormonal changes can result in a boost in melanin production. This condition, where melanin production is boosted by estrogen or progesterone, is known as melasma. For many, the hyperpigmentation can disappear post pregnancy, but it might not be the case for others.
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