Violation of skin pigmentation is a problem that occurs in 70% of the world's population. This is due to a violation of the production of melanin - the pigment that gives the skin its color. It occurs for various reasons, most often due to prolonged exposure to the sun.

The danger of age spots is that they can degenerate into melanoma. According to statistics, people who have more than 30 age spots on the body are at risk of getting skin cancer.

To get rid of hyperpigmentation, you should find out the causes that provoke the problem. We will talk about this in the article. You will also learn which types of age spots can be treated on their own, and which are treated only by traditional methods. This will help you reduce the risk of melanoma and other malignant growths on the body.

You will need:

Causes of skin pigmentation

1. Prolonged exposure to the sun, a significant effect on the skin of ultraviolet radiation.
2. Liver disease or problems with metabolism, digestive organs. If the endocrine system is susceptible to diseases such as Graves' disease, a pituitary tumor, pituitary insufficiency, then age spots appear on the body (not only hyper-, but also).
3. Mental disorders in people with a hysterical type of character.
4. Vitamin C deficiency.
5. Gynecological diseases.
6. The presence of a neuropsychiatric disease.
7. Repeated repetition of stressful situations.
8. Pigmentation during pregnancy. Passes after the birth of the child.

Places of localization

Breast
- Back;
- Face;
- Arms.

Pigmented brown spots with clear boundaries.

1. The size and shape of the spots can be different, they do not cause pain, do not cause itching.
2. The brightness of their shade is due to the amount of melanin in the epidermis.

Women are more prone to hyperpigmentation than men. They tend to have hormonal imbalances.

Causes of chloasma:

• Poor quality cosmetics;
• Problems with the bile duct, liver, organs of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Inflammatory process in the female genital organs;
• Skin damage due to self-removal of acne;
• Solarium abuse;
• Oncological diseases;
• Lack of vitamins C and B;
• Nervous diseases;
• Prolonged exposure to the sun;
• Neglect of protective equipment during exposure to the sun.

Most often, chloasma is characterized by scattered spots, but sometimes they can merge into one large area. You can get rid of chloasma only with cosmetic procedures.

The Latin word "lentigo" means "lentil spot, freckle".

These age spots are similar to lentils:

• Dense, slightly rise above the surface of the skin;
• They are dark brown in color and no larger than a lentil seed.

Lentigo is congenital, youthful and senile.

congenital

It is called lentigiosis and is characterized by large spots that can degenerate into a malignant neoplasm.

Youthful

It cannot be reborn into a cancerous tumor.

senile

Associated with liver disease and can transform into skin cancer. The site of a sunburn is the most vulnerable area to appear.

To diagnose the disease, it is necessary to systematically examine the skin areas subject to pigmentation.

It is expressed in the absence of melanin on some segments of the body.

It is believed that tissue damage due to autoimmune processes leads to vitiligo.

1. The development of the disease begins with the appearance on the body of clearly defined spots of a pale shade.
2. They appear on open areas of the skin and are prone to overgrowth.
3. Vitiligo does not affect the mucous membranes, soles, palms.

Body segments with a lack of melanin appear in those areas where the skin is squeezed, rubbed. Also, spots can spontaneously disappear.

The formation of nevus cells begins in the womb. This form of pigmentation affects most Europeans. In childhood, a nevus can be inconspicuous, and manifest itself in adolescence. In old age, such a pigment spot usually disappears for good.

Nevi are divided into borderline, complex and intradermal.

Border

They appear at a young age and may disappear after 30 years. They have a smooth surface and are devoid of hair.

Complex

They differ in dense consistency and spherical shape.

Intradermal

They have a domed shape, similar to a wart.

The peculiarity of the nevus is that the more it is raised above the skin, the lighter its color.

It is necessary to remove such pigmentation completely. Partial liquidation can lead to negative consequences.

Features of age spots in children

In children, hyperpigmentation can occur both in infancy and in adolescence. It happens that these spots disappear as the child grows up, but more often they remain.

Parents should ensure that age spots are not rubbed with clothes or injured. Any mechanical damage can lead to infection and inflammation.

The main causes of pigmentation in children:

• genetic predisposition. Usually, those children whose parents had a similar problem are prone to the appearance of age spots.
• Hemangioma. The color of the skin area may have a darker color due to abnormal development of the circulatory system. Such spots are a clot
  capillaries and they do not bear any harm to health;
• Influence of an aggressive external environment;
• Problems with the digestive tract;
• The influence of the sun's rays.

If parents notice spots in a child that have a coffee color and increase in size, it is necessary to consult a doctor. This is how neurofibromatosis can manifest itself.

You can not use the methods of dealing with age spots used by adults. The method of removal is determined by the doctor.

Medicines and ointments

Zinc ointment

Designed to whiten age spots. It also helps to fight fine wrinkles, pimples and blackheads.

• The drug is applied to the affected area, after cleaning it;
• During the course of treatment, it is necessary to minimize the use of decorative cosmetics;
• The ointment is hypoallergenic.

Synthomycin

It's an antibiotic. It does not harm health, as it penetrates only into the upper layers of the skin. It can not be used for a long time, because it causes the adaptation of the body, which reduces its effectiveness.

1. Cucumber cut into two parts;
2. Grind one of them with a grater and dilute with hydrogen peroxide;
3. Apply for a quarter of an hour, then rinse with water.

Lemon juice

• Lemon 1 part
• Water 1 part

This tool can whiten even spots with very dark pigmentation.

1. It is necessary to squeeze the juice of a lemon.
2. Add room temperature water to it.
3. Use only ceramic or glassware.
4. A gauze swab dipped in a solution is applied to pigmented areas for a quarter of an hour.
5. Wash and lubricate the surface of the skin with cream.

Celandine decoction

• Water 2 cups
• Celandine 5 tbsp. l.

1. Pour celandine with water and put on fire;
2. Simmer the boiled solution under the lid for a quarter of an hour, after reducing the heat;
3. Cover with a thick cloth and leave for an hour;
4. Strained broth can be used for its intended purpose, wetting a gauze napkin in it and applying it to the body for a quarter of an hour;
5. After finishing the procedure, wash and lubricate the skin with cream.

apple mask

1. Make a puree from a sour apple by chopping it with a grater.
2. Apply a gauze napkin, in which applesauce is wrapped, to a pigmented spot.
3. After half an hour, remove the compress and wash.
4. Apply cream or sour cream to the skin.

Egg-lemon mask

• Lemon 1/2 part
• Egg white 1 pc.

Particularly suitable for people with oily skin types.

1. Mix lemon juice with egg white, beat until stiff foam;
2. Distribute the finished mask tightly over the surface of the skin;
3. After half an hour, rinse and lubricate the body with fat-free sour cream.

Such a problem as pigmentation can occur in a person at any age and cause severe psychological discomfort, especially if age spots appear on the face. Modern medicine and cosmetology have figured out quite well what pigmentation is and how to deal with it. There are many methods of treatment that will help return the skin to a healthy appearance and get rid of this cosmetic defect. It is enough just to establish the causes of the disease, and to determine what kind of age spots formed on the skin.

Causes of age spots

Skin pigmentation often occurs in humans due to excessive accumulation of melanin pigment. This substance is brown, black or yellow.

In addition to melanin, the color of the skin is responsible for:

• carotene;
• deoxyhemoglobin;
• oxyhemoglobin.

Depending on the amount of coloring pigment in melanocyte cells, the skin color of each person is determined. The smaller it is, the lighter the skin will be and, conversely, in swarthy people, melanin is produced in greater quantities. With prolonged exposure to the sun, melanin pigmentation of the skin, which is better known as sunburn, can occur. It appears after a long stay under active sunlight or a visit to the solarium.

The main function of the coloring pigment melanin is to protect the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. In most cases, age spots that occur on the face or on the body do not pose any danger to human health.

But there are other types of pigmentation that cause cancer and have a negative impact on overall well-being.

Various factors can affect the color of the skin:

• thickness of the epidermis;
• the location of the blood vessels;
• hormonal changes;
• menopause;
• taking antibiotics or hormonal contraceptives;
• metabolic disease;
• improper skin care;
• hereditary factor;
• age changes.

In addition, there are other reasons for the appearance of age spots:

• avitaminosis;
• chronic diseases;
• skin reaction to cosmetics.

All skin pigmentation, in turn, is conditionally divided into facultative and constitutional. Constitutional pigmentation is considered irreversible and does not depend on the action of external factors. Facultative pigmentation is reversible and usually disappears after the underlying cause is removed.

In medical practice, these types of skin spots are distinguished:

• lentigo;
• chloasma;
• vitiligo;
• freckles;
• birthmarks;
• photosensitivity spots.

Lentigos usually appear in humans after the age of 50 and look like raised brown or dark brown spots on the skin. They have a round or elongated shape, are found on different parts of the body in a single or multiple quantity.

Chloasma occurs in women during pregnancy or while taking certain drugs and are symmetrically located spots of yellow-brown or dark black color. They are usually localized in the face, on the abdomen or around the nipples and differ from others in their large size and clear boundaries.

Vitiligo is a common skin disease that can affect a person of any age and has a variety of causes. It looks like rounded spots with clear white borders.

The most famous type of pigmentation are freckles or ephelids, which are small yellow-brown pigment spots. They are usually located in the face or in open areas of the body and are found mainly in fair-skinned people. Freckles appear most often in summer or spring, and disappear in winter.

Birthmarks, no doubt, are also known to everyone, since they are a well-known type of pigmentation that occurs in a person from birth. Nevi look like yellow-brown or black spots on the body that protrude above the surface of the skin and have a smooth or rough surface.

Spots of photosensitivity appear as a result of high sensitivity of the skin to drugs, cosmetics or sunlight.

There is also abnormal pigmentation, which is a sign of a serious illness. Without the help of a medical specialist, it is impossible to get rid of such pigmentation on your own. Of particular danger is melanoma, which refers to malignant tumors of the skin. In the absence of proper treatment and timely assistance, the disease can be fatal.

A dermatologist can determine the type of age spots on the skin, the cause of their formation and good quality after a thorough examination of the skin. When there is a suspicion of a malignant process, the patient will be prescribed a biopsy. The presence of atypical cells in the analysis is an indicator of an oncological disease; in this case, a special course of treatment cannot be dispensed with.

Of the standard examinations, the following are usually prescribed:

• examination of the skin with a Wood's lamp;
• blood analysis;
• Analysis of urine;
• biochemistry.

The following signs should serve as the reason for the patient to consult a doctor:

• severe itching of the skin in the area of ​​the spot;
• burning;
• lack of a clear border;
• a sharp change in color;
• bleeding;
• rapid increase in size.

It is necessary to treat hyperpigmentation on the body or in the face area, taking into account the main factor that contributed to the development of age spots.

If age spots appear on the body without a serious reason, you can choose this method of treating pigmentation:

• professional procedures in the salon;
• bleaching agents;
• ethnoscience.

Cosmetic procedures

The most well-known and effective ways to eliminate age spots in a beauty salon or clinic include:

• laser therapy;
• chemical peeling;
• cryotherapy;
• phototherapy.

Under the action of laser therapy, the top layer of cells is burned, which are removed along with the stain. The laser beam is dosed and directed strictly to a specific area of ​​the skin and to a predetermined depth. Immediately after the procedure, the stain begins to darken and peel off, and then disappears completely over time. If there is a slight cosmetic defect, you can get rid of pigmentation without problems in 2 sessions (sometimes in 5).

Each laser therapy procedure is carried out with a time interval of two weeks, and pigmentation or hyperpigmentation can serve as an indication for it. As a result, the skin becomes smooth and clean, tone and relief are evened out.

No less effective and safe way to treat age spots is chemical peeling.

Various acids are used during peeling:

• fruit;
• glycolic;
• almond;
• phenolic;
• trichloroacetic and others.

In order for such a procedure to pass without complications, the patient must properly prepare for the treatment of pigmentation. If the pigment spot is located in the deep layer of the skin, deep or medium peeling is used.

During a chemical peel, dead cells are removed along with a pigment spot, as a result of which the process of tissue regeneration starts and the skin color is evened out. The number of sessions is chosen by a dermatologist or cosmetologist.

Cryotherapy is also a fairly effective procedure in cosmetology, which passes without serious consequences and is suitable for the treatment of pigmentation. During the session, liquid nitrogen is applied to the pigment spot, and this area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe skin is frozen. After cryotherapy, a protective crust appears in place of the pigmented area, under which new cells are formed.

Phototherapy is another effective way to combat pigmentation. During this procedure, light radiation is used, which leads to darkening of the pigment spot and gluing of proteins. As a result, the skin is renewed, and areas of pigmentation are removed without much difficulty. Phototherapy is characterized by a quick recovery period and painlessness.

Regardless of the choice of a professional procedure, there are certain rules for the patient's behavior during the rehabilitation period:

1. Avoid exposure to the sun without sunscreen if you have recently had pigmentation treatment and are still at risk of developing new spots.
2. In addition, within three days after the procedure, it is forbidden to visit the sauna, pool or bath.
3. For the entire recovery period, you can not go to the solarium or apply a scrub to the skin.

A contraindication to all cosmetic procedures is the presence of diabetes, pregnancy and allergies to the substances used.

Whitening cosmetics

A brightening cream is capable of removing age spots, which contains:

• hydroquinone;
• melanozyme;
• azelaic acid;
• arbutin;
• kojic acid.

With the help of such a tool, you can stop the production of melanin or get rid of existing pigmentation. Creams with ascorbic acid, which has a stimulating and regenerating effect, have a pronounced whitening effect.

Before purchasing a cream with a brightening effect, you should make sure that there is no allergic reaction to its components. It is advisable to give preference to products with a double effect, which not only release the pigment melanin in the cells, but also prevent the development of new spots on the skin.

The best whitening creams:

• Achromin;
• Evinal;
• Melanative;
• Vichy;
• Clotrimazole.

Apply the product to the area of ​​the pigment spot once or twice a day according to the instructions in a thin layer. It is recommended to use brightening cosmetics in winter or autumn, when the sun is at its least active.

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine will help replace expensive salon procedures or whitening creams:

1. For the treatment of age spots, owners of dry skin can use ordinary yogurt. The fermented milk product is applied to the skin for 15 minutes and then washed off with water.
2. To remove pigmentation for people with oily skin types, a lemon mask, clay mask or parsley mask will help.
3. No less effective is a mask with starch, which is prepared from 1 tablespoon of starch and lemon juice. The mixture is applied to the skin for 15-20 minutes and washed off with water.
4. Every day it is recommended to wipe the face with herbal decoction, cucumber juice, pomegranate juice or grapefruit juice.
5. You can make ice cubes with green tea and wipe your skin with them in the morning. Well helps from age spots juice of sauerkraut and dandelion leaves.

Preventive actions

In order to prevent the appearance of hyperpigmentation in the future, the action of provoking factors should be excluded.

These include:

• cigarettes;
• alcoholic drinks;
• coffee;
• strong tea.

It is forbidden to get involved in fatty, fried, spicy or too salty foods. Preference is given to healthy foods rich in vitamin C and trace elements.

These include:

• celery;
• all citrus fruits;
• kiwi;
• currant;
• cauliflower.

Fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs and cereals will help to give your face a beautiful and healthy look.

To avoid the formation of ugly spots on the skin, it is recommended to do all the procedures in the evening or at night before going to bed. Decorative cosmetics should have a high level of protection against ultraviolet rays. While visiting the beach, you should avoid sunburn and not be under the sun during periods of increased activity.

In order to timely detect a serious illness and not miss an oncological pathology, you should consult a doctor at the first appearance of spots on the skin. Properly selected treatment will help to avoid unwanted complications and return the skin to a healthy look.

Age spots look like an aesthetic defect on the skin or mucous membranes, often brown, white, reddish or golden beige. For some, acquaintance with this cosmetic defect occurs during pregnancy. It is necessary to understand the causes and ways to eliminate them.

Human skin tone is genetically determined, normal pigmentation is even throughout the body. But in some cases, the pigment, for certain reasons, is absent or produced excessively, forming light or dark spots on the skin with uneven edges. They tend to increase in size and number, to unite with each other. Such phenomena are called hypomelanosis or hypermelanosis. According to the International Classification of Diseases ICD - 10, they were assigned the code L81 in the section "Other diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue."

Hyperpigmentation is classified according to its causes: congenital (primary) and acquired (secondary). The primary one is hereditary predisposition. Excessive production of melanin is not associated with other diseases or disorders of body functions. Secondary hyperpigmentation is a concomitant symptom of more serious diseases, having cured the main one, the excess pigment disappears on its own. Secondary hypermelanosis occurs with inflammatory or infectious dermatosis, diseases of the immune and nervous systems, mechanical damage to the skin, diseases of the endocrine or digestive system, when using low-quality cosmetics. Long-term use of certain medications or hormonal pills can be a provoking factor for excessive pigmentation.

Causes and signs

Age spots appear at different ages, most are harmless and cause only psychological discomfort to the owner. The most famous are freckles, scientifically called ephelids. These are patches of light brown to reddish hue, localized in groups on the face, limbs, back and chest, increase in number after exposure to sunlight. Especially noticeable in the spring and summer. Freckles appear in a child at the age of 4-6 years, tend to disappear after 30. The reason for the occurrence is fair skin and a genetic predisposition.

Chloasma - dark yellow or dark brown spots of irregular shape, localized on the cheeks, forehead, bridge of the nose, cheekbones, skin around the eyes and mouth, neck. The provoking factor for the occurrence is the sun, and they appear against the background of hormonal fluctuations. In men, chloasma is the result of a decrease in testosterone levels, in women - taking hormonal drugs, pregnancy. During pregnancy, pigmentation appears first on the abdomen, areola, armpits, arms, and secondarily spreads to the face.

Melasma in terms of the type of manifestations, localization and provoking factors is similar to chloasma, its distinguishing feature is the cause of occurrence. Unlike chloasma, melasma is the result of malfunctions in the digestive tract. He talks about diseases of the liver, bile or urinary tract and the lack of trace elements such as copper, iron, the deficiency of which must be eliminated. With the elimination of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the spots can completely disappear, and in the chronic form, the severity of pigmentation varies depending on the time of year. In winter, spots can practically disappear and appear with the activity of solar radiation. Melasma, depending on the depth of the pigment, is classified by doctors into 3 types: epidermal, dermal and mixed. In treatment, this is a determining factor in the choice of medicine.

Lentigo - pigmented areas of the skin of a rounded shape up to 2 cm in diameter, having a color from light brown to black. This is primary hypermelanosis, occurs at the age of 10 - 65 years, the trigger for manifestation is solar radiation. Depending on the age at which the patient first developed a defect, physicians distinguish between simple and senile lentigo. Simple can be on the skin, mucous membranes, without causing physical inconvenience. Elderly patients have senile lentigo (keratomas, ripples of old age) - a precancerous condition of the skin, signaling the degeneration of collagen fibers and a slowdown in tissue metabolism. Due attention should be paid to the treatment of aged patients and high-quality diagnostics should be carried out. Such spots appear after 45 years, are poorly masked, appear in large numbers on the chest, cheekbones, forearms, have a convex structure.

The reason for the appearance of birthmarks is heredity. A common type of pigmentation, often they are located in the same places in children and parents, have a similar shape. The second name for such phenomena is nevi, moles. They have relatively smooth edges, sometimes a convex shape, do not cause inconvenience. Their main danger is the ability to degenerate into a malignant neoplasm, one should observe their color, structure and size. If the appearance of the mole changes, you should visit a doctor. They are subject to removal due to the risk of mechanical damage if they protrude above the skin level, and at the request of the patient, if they are located on visible parts of the body and spoil the appearance.

Vitiligo - spots on the human body, which are absent, due to having a white or milky tint. The causes of the disease are not fully understood, the trigger for the formation of spots are disturbances in the functioning of the digestive tract, stress. Depigmentation occurs due to the fact that the immune system suppresses the production of melanin in certain areas, considering the cells that produce it as hostile. Vitiligo is treated locally, with the use of immunosuppressive and hormonal drugs.

A type of insufficient pigmentation is albinism - a hereditary disease in which there are few melanocytes in the body - cells that produce melanin. The consequence of the disease is colorless skin, light color of the eyes, eyelashes, eyebrows and hair. There is no cure for albinism, dermatologists advise not to sunbathe and to use creams with maximum UV protection to avoid sunburn.

Danger of occurrence

Dermatologists say that if age spots appear once, then the fight against them will continue throughout life. You will always need to use sunscreen, monitor your diet, visit a beautician, use whitening cosmetics. Often, pigmented areas can become malignant tumors, masking melanoma - an aggressive cancer that can be treated only at the initial stage of development. You should consult a doctor if you notice that the spot has increased in size, changed structure or color.

The number of spots is growing - this is an occasion to visit a dermatologist who will conduct research and recommend that the patient remove the formation or continue to observe, and also give an answer about the cause of the appearance of age spots in a particular case. A sign that the formation is safe and benign is the presence of hairs that grow from it, a biopsy will provide detailed information.

Treatment Methods

The beauty industry offers a variety of products for the prevention and removal of excessive and insufficient pigmentation. If vitiligo is treated by suppressing human immunity or masking spots, moles and nevi are removed surgically or by cryotherapy (exposure to liquid nitrogen), then lentigo, chloasma and melasma are disposed of using cosmetic procedures, hardware techniques, pharmaceutical preparations and traditional medicine at home .

• Cosmetology. Treatment of age spots is carried out by mechanical or acid peels, which contribute to the renewal of the upper layers of the skin, stimulating its regeneration. Dermabrasion works on the same principle, the epidermis is removed with a special tool that resembles a brush. After application, the skin looks inflamed.
• Hardware techniques for excessive pigmentation combine mesotherapy, laser resurfacing, phototherapy. Each method of exposure has indications and contraindications, which the cosmetologist will definitely warn the patient about. Mesotherapy - injections that regenerate the skin, destroy excess pigment. Laser resurfacing stimulates cell renewal, removes the area of ​​the dermis affected by pigment. Phototherapy stimulates the formation of cells without melanin, the overall rejuvenating effect is achieved by exposure to light rays, from which new collagen fibers are formed.
• Pharmaceutical preparations for age spots are divided into whitening and depigmenting. The former lighten the skin, defects on it, but are not able to remove them completely. Requires long-term use, does not guarantee results. The second group destroys the pigment, penetrating the skin, exfoliating the upper layers. Available drugs with a therapeutic effect of depigmentation are hydrogen peroxide, salicylic acid, ascorbic, acetic, citric, lactic. The preparations are applied externally, give a good result, many manufacturers have created a whole line of cosmetics based on depigmenting substances.
• Traditional medicine for skin whitening offers masks of sour cream, parsley, lemon or cucumber juice, aloe leaf. You can be treated with masks of garlic, honey, apply castor oil to the affected area, wipe the skin with decoctions of celandine and other herbs. The methods are not dangerous, patient reviews promise a visible result with long-term regular use at home.

What color, peeling and itching may indicate

To cure age spots, it is necessary to establish their cause together with the doctor. Sometimes skin defects can become inflamed, redden, become covered with red crusts, start to itch, crack or peel off, which threatens to attach an infection, abscesses can form. A change in the color of the spots indicates the onset of pathological processes in the skin, you need to consult a doctor immediately. Peeling, itching, redness can signal allergic reactions, exacerbations of underlying diseases and burns. It is necessary to take antihistamines, you can not use scrubs, so as not to provoke exacerbation of itching. It is worth seeing a doctor to correct the treatment of the underlying disease, removing stains without eliminating their causes is an unsuccessful business. It is necessary to undertake treatment in a complex, with the participation of a good doctor.