What is hyperpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation is a common, harmless condition in which patches of skin become darker in color than the surrounding skin. This darkening can affect everyone and occurs when excess amounts of melanin (the brown pigment that produces skin color) form deposits in the skin.
Common forms of hyperpigmentation include:
- Solar lentigines (a.k.a. age, sun, or liver spots)
- Melasma
- Freckles
What are solar lentigines?
Solar lentigines are tan to brown freckle-like marks that are caused by excessive sun exposure. They commonly appear on the face, chest, shoulders, and arms, since those areas of the body get the most sunlight. Ultraviolet (UV rays) accelerate the production of melanin, which gives skin its brown pigmentation. These age/sun/liver spots result from overactive pigment cells and melanin being grouped in higher concentrations.
What is melasma?
Melasma is a common skin condition in which tan brown patches develop on the face. It often forms on the forehead, upper cheeks, and upper lip area, which can get a lot of sun exposure. It can also result from hormonal changes, such as pregnancy or from birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy. UV rays will worsen melasma, no matter what the original cause.
Schedule hyperpigmentation treatments
If your skin suffers from sun damage, schedule treatments at Skin Medical Aesthetics in Windham, Maine. We provide a variety of face and body treatments to give you incredible, younger-looking skin. Our services include:
We also use and provide ZO Skin Health products to help you enhance and maintain your results.
