Pigment Spots – What Are They And More

Pigment Spots

Everyone has heard of pigment spots. In general, this means limited, imperceptible discoloration of the skin.

In medicine, this is called hyperpigmentation. The reason for this is often an increased amount of the skin pigment melanin. But not all skin discolorations are more pigmented (darker). Vitiligo, also known as skin spot disease, is also a pigment disorder but has the opposite clinical picture and is referred to as hypo- or depigmentation. The skin is therefore lighter pigmented.

The following explains how exactly pigment spots develop and what different forms there are. Also, what causes the brown spots and how best to treat the skin lesion will be answered in this blog.

Pigment Spots – What Do They Mean?

Melanin is a pigment, i.e. a dye of the skin, which occurs in every human being and is located in the skin cells. In summer, for example, melanin ensures that our skin is tanned.

However, when skin cells suddenly produce an unusually large amount of melanin and spots appear on the skin as a result, this is referred to as a pigment change, so-called hyperpigmentation.

In most people, hyperpigmentation is characterized by brown spots. But pigment spots can not only be dark spots. In some people, they are distinguished by light spots with a whitish or yellowish tint.

Pigment spots often go away on their own over time, but in some cases they can be permanent. It depends on the type of pigment spot.

Different Types Of Pigment Spots

In medicine, a basic distinction can be made between two types of pigment spots, namely between localized and generalized hyperpigmentation.

Generalized or universal hyperpigmentation describes the appearance of pigment spot on different parts of the body. It often occurs in connection with diseases.

Localized hyperpigmentation is characterized by pigment spot that appear in a limited number of areas of the body. The areas that are most frequently exposed to the outside world and thus to the sun are affected particularly frequently – such as the face, décolleté and hands. An example of this are the so-called café-au-lait spots.

What Are The Most Famous Pigment Spot?

The most well-known forms of hyperpigmentation are freckles (ephelides) and age spots (lentigo solaris).

Freckles are small, brownish or reddish spots that are often perceived as cute. They are most mutual in people with fair skin and become more apparent after prolonged exposure to the sun.

Age spot are brown-grey pigment spot and appear on areas of the skin that are regularly exposed to the sun. Like freckles, this skin lesion is completely harmless. It mainly occurs in adults and the elderly.