What Causes Facial Dark Spots?

Understanding the Concept of Skin Discoloration

While some discolourations, like facial age spots, are cosmetic concerns, others might indicate underlying health issues. 

What is Skin Discolouration?

Skin discolouration means any alteration in your natural skin tone. The change results in patches that appear lighter or darker than the surrounding skin area.

What are the Different Types of Skin Discolouration?

The changes in your skin can range in size, shape, and colour, impacting both facial and bodily skin.

Age Spots (Sun Spots)

You may observe them as small, flat, brown patches. They commonly appear on sun-exposed areas like the face, hands, shoulders, and arms. Years of sun damage and melanin overproduction cause these.

Hyperpigmentation v/s Hypopigmentation

Hyperpigmentation means an increase in skin colour or darkening of skin. Hypopigmentation means a low amount of melanin in your skin.

Different forms of pigmentation conditions can be found, such as;

• Melasma: Melasma is a patchy, brown discolouration often affecting pregnant women. It can also occur if you are taking hormonal medications. Sometimes,  you may see it in menopausal women due to hormonal fluctuations.
• Vitiligo: Vitiligo is an autoimmune condition. Here, your pigment-producing cells get destroyed, leaving white patches on the skin.
• Albinism: It is a genetic condition. Here, your melanin production reduces, giving you lighter skin, hair and eyes.

What Causes Facial Dark Spots and Skin Discolouration?

When dealing with skin changes, the answer to what causes your skin discolouration is a must-know aspect.

Sun Exposure

Do you know why you tan? It's because the Ultraviolet rays from the sun stimulate melanin production, leading to hyperpigmentation and age spots.

Hormonal Changes

Your hormones keep changing at different phases of your life. Especially during pregnancy and menopause, it's a rollercoaster ride for the hormones in you. Fluctuations in oestrogen and progesterone can trigger hyperpigmentations like melasma.

Genetics

Our genes undermine a lot of things for us. So, if the cells that produce melanin become damaged or have unusual genetic features, this can affect melanin production and skin colour. That's when you see conditions like vitiligo and albinism.

Inflammation

Unwanted inflammation can cause skin conditions like eczema and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).

Health Conditions and Medications

If you face health conditions such as vitamin B12 deficiency, Addison's disease, hemochromatosis, or even skin cancer, it can disrupt your melanin production and cause skin discolouration.

General Signs of Skin Discolouration

Early detection of skin discolouration is critical to effective management. Look out for these early signs to stay ahead of the condition.

Dark Spots or Patches

If you notice some unusual darker or lighter parts on your skin, this may be a sign of skin changes. These patches or sports can be flat or raised and vary in size and shape.

Uneven Pigmentation

You may notice that your skin appears patchy or blotchy in different places. It may need colour uniformity.

Changes in Skin Tone

Are you missing your old skin tone? Whenever you start noticing gradual or sudden lightening or darkening of your natural skin tone in specific areas, you must know it's time to get an evaluation done.

How are Discoloured Skin patches Diagnosed?

For a comprehensive understanding of your skin discolouration, it's crucial to consult a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis.

Depending on the findings they come across from your symptoms and history, you will undergo further diagnostic testing. Diagnostic tests vary according to the cause, but some standard tests you may go through can be;

• You may get prescribed a few blood tests. The healthcare experts may perform them to determine if you have any blood-related conditions, infection, autoimmune conditions or B12 deficiency-related skin discolouration.
• Wood's Lamp Examination (a procedure that uses transillumination (light) to detect bacterial or fungal skin infections)
• Skin Biopsy is where a small sample of the affected skin is tested under a microscope to detect abnormally behaving skin cells.

Based on these preliminary results, your healthcare provider will give you further instructions on what to do next.

Common Treatment Options for Skin Discolouration

Rest assured, numerous options are available to treat your skin discolouration, tailored to the underlying causes.

Targeting Melanin Production

Several women and men use topical creams that lighten dark spots. Most commonly marketed products contain hydroquinone, kojic acid, azelaic acid and retinoids. 

Natural Alternative

Licorice Root Extract: It contains a compound called glabridin, which inhibits tyrosinase, which has a role in melanin production. 

Vitamin C: It helps fade hyperpigmentation by reducing melanin production. 

Vitamin B3: Also called Niacinamide, it helps brighten and fade dark spots. It inhibits melanosome transfer to the skin's surface cells. 

Arbutin: It is naturally present in the leaves and bark of various plants, notably the bearberry plant. It inhibits tyrosinase, just like hydroquinone.

Mulberry Extract: It contains an antioxidant called morusin that helps produce melanin. It's as effective as kojic acid.

Face Peels 

You must have seen various videos fancying different types of face peels. The benefit of using peels is they use controlled application of acids to remove the discoloured outer layer of skin. 

Natural Alternatives

Lemon and Honey Peel: This mixture contains alpha-hydroxy acids, which can help remove dead skin cells by gently exfoliating your skin. 

Yogurt and Oatmeal Peel: Yogurt contains probiotics, which can help to balance the bacteria on your skin and reduce inflammation.

Conventional Techniques and Therapies

With the help of modern equipment, some targeted therapies can remove your hyperpigmentation, dark spots and skin tone changes. Such therapies are;

• Pigmentation Laser Treatment
• Light therapy
• Cryotherapy
• Combined Laser Therapy and Light Therapy
• Microdermabrasion

Note: Whatever treatments you adopt, adding sunscreen to protect your skin from UV rays is a must. Moreover, a healthy skincare routine is the key to preventing the worsening of skin discolouration. 

Ayurvedic and Natural Solutions for Skin Discolouration

Whenever you wish to try an ayurvedic solution for your skin problems, try to assess the imbalance of doshas (body bioenergy). You can talk to an Ayurvedic expert to know this.

Moreover, most skin remedies in Ayurveda focus on improving your gut health and enhancing nutrient absorption.

However, we have listed below some of the best Ayurvedic remedies for balancing dosha on your skin:

Turmeric 

Turmeric is the gold for your skin. It works as an antioxidant when consumed orally and on external skin applications. It also has anti-inflammatory and skin-brightening properties. 

Mixing turmeric powder with milk or yoghurt will work as the best combination.

Sandalwood

Sandalwood is a coolant. Applying sandalwood paste works wonders on skin discolouration, especially inflammation and infection. As per Ayurveda, sandalwood works in pitta, which is the predominant skin imbalance.

Neem

Neem has a fantastic blood-purifying property. It helps you reduce any inflammation on your skin. It also promotes healing, benefiting PIH related to acne or other skin conditions. 

Apply a paste of neem leaves or use neem oil on the affected areas.

Oils Enhanced with Herbs

Many oils prescribed by ayurvedic experts, such as kumkumadi taila and nalpamaradi taila, will benefit you from different combinations of herbs. Some of them are saffron, turmeric, ficus and Indian madder. These are some of the best hyperpigmentation products in Ayurveda.

Ayurvedic Detoxification

After understanding and evaluating the cause of your skin discolouration, detoxification therapies that go well with your genetic makeup (Prakriti) and dosha imbalance will be recommended.

However, the most helpful detoxification for skin conditions is "Virechana" (therapeutic purgation). Virechana removes an imbalance of pitta dosha, which travels from your gut to your skin.

Points to Remember

• Always consult an Ayurvedic professional before trying any recommendations.
• Be consistent in your skincare rituals.
• Try a patch test before applying any new ingredient to your skin.

Conclusion

Identifying the cause of your skin discolouration is the first step towards combating the unfriendly spots and patches. Sometimes, your symptoms of skin changes may be similar to those of your friend's, but the underlying condition can differ. So start by evaluating and understanding your body changes, and then embrace a holistic approach towards the journey of healthy skin.