A 2005 article in Mutation Research ("Melanogenesis: a photoprotective response to DNA damage?") explains that the body darkens the skin in response to UV light in order to protect the skin cells from becoming damaged. Ultraviolet light (UV light)...
Ultraviolet light causes skin to become darker through the production of melanin. Melanin is a pigment that is produced by cells in the skin called melanocytes. As the American Academy of Dermatology explains, the purpose of melanin is to protect...
Protecting your skin from the darkening effects of the sun's rays is important if you have undergone any kind of skin therapy or if you have skin allergies. Skin darkening can also worsen skin discoloration such as age spots and acne scars. Going...
Darkened, itchy skin can stem from a number of causes, ranging from simple dry skin to certain skin disorders. Although darkened itchy skin is generally harmless, it can be uncomfortable and unsightly. Often, these areas of irritated skin can be...
Hyperpigmentation is defined as a darkening of the skin and can occur in the outermost layer (epidermis) or deeper into the tissues (dermis). The darkened areas may look brown, blue or gray, depending on the location of the excess melanin. People...
When you scratch your skin or burst a pimple, you are likely to leave marks and discoloration due to scarring. As the scars heal, the skin pigments surrounding the scratches are increased, causing skin darkening. There are innumerable...
Darkened skin---known as hyperpigmentation---can be an indicator of certain conditions. According to the New York Times, hyperpigmentation arising from medical conditions is sometimes mistaken for sun tan, although the causes and onset are...
Skin hyperpigmentation is a darkening of the skin. Some people may only experience localized hyperpigmentation, but others can have blotches of discolored skin across their entire body, according to the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center....
Cosmetic Alchemy manufactures LiLash, an over-the-counter beauty product. The company says LiLash increases the length and fullness of your eyelashes. At the time of publication, the Food and Drug Administration has approved only one product,...
Brown marks on the skin could have any number of causes. They could be age spots from sun exposure or spots left by acne. You could have hyperpigmentation from an old injury, a birth mark or malasma, a type of skin darkening that can happen during...
Many people desire a golden tan and will go to great lengths to get it. But as more and more people become aware of the sun's dangers, pale skin is becoming the "in" thing. Without protection, the sun will cause your skin to darken, because...
Discolored patches of skin can be either lighter or darker than the skin surrounding it. While some skin discoloration does not necessarily indicate a problematic skin condition, skin discoloration that frequently recurs or does not cease with...
Pimple scars develop when the original acne lesion damages lower layers of skin, called the dermis. The Scar Information Service points out that when significant damage is done to the dermis layers, hair follicles and sweat glands are destroyed...
Skin darkening in color can be a symptom of 128 conditions according to Wrong Diagnosis.com. Causes can be as simple as a bruise or as serious as cyanosis, a potentially life-threatening condition indicating a lack of oxygen. Some of the...
There are several diseases that can affect your adrenal gland, including Cushing's syndrome, in which your body produces too much cortisol, and Addison's disease, in which you do not produce enough cortisol. Tumors also can develop in or near the...
Ingrown hairs usually occur when shaved or tweezed hair grows into the skin, causing irritation and inflammation. The ingrown hairs can be painful and lead to infections, permanent scarring and skin darkening. The condition can affect anyone but...
Hyperpigmentation refers to an excess of pigment in an area of your skin. This darkening or discoloration can be caused by several factors, including injury, trauma, sunlight or a skin disease, according to Susan C. Taylor, founding director of...
Light therapy, or phototherapy, is used to treat some cases of acne. It works in much the same way as sunlight, but does not damage the skin. Most people see an improvement within three months of treatment.
Hyperpigmentation is a darkening of the skin that can occur as a result of acne. More commonly known as postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, or PIH, it isn't actually a form of scarring, but more a prolonged inflammatory response of the skin. This...
Big, lush eyelashes are a beauty asset, yet to get them, most women have to apply gobs of mascara and use eyelash curlers which, ironically, damage eyelashes, causing them to fall out. On average, women lose up to four eyelashes per day according...
Whether it is an obvious farmer's tan, or a tanning-bed-gone-wrong situation, diminishing the skin tone variations associated with tanning is very simple, but may take some time. The long summer days provide many hours of intense sunlight for you...
Latisse is an ophthalmic solution containing the active ingredient bimatoprost. Its manufacturer Allergan originally produced bimatoprost as the brand Lumigan for treating glaucoma. This product turned out to have a positive side effect, as it...
Skin discolorations are common on the skin. For many, they can be birthmarks resulting from simple and harmless factors, such as a highly concentrated spot of melanin in your skin. Other times, though, discolorations can be a cause for concern and...
Razor bumps are caused by hairs that grow into the hair follicle wall or into the skin after shaving. These hairs are considered ingrown hairs. When a hair becomes ingrown, the body begins to fight it off. This causes irritation and a bump that...
Yaz and Mircette are birth control pills used to prevent pregnancy. However, Drugs.com indicates that Yaz can also be used to treat manifestations of premenstrual dysmorphic disorder, a condition characterized by depression, anxiety, difficulty...
Laser hair removal is a popular option for permanently reducing hair on your body. By using a specialized laser, this hair removal technique uses the melanin (the substance that gives your body color) in your hair to direct the energy from the...
Chalazion is the term for a lump, or raised area, on the eyelid, that occurs due to a blocked meibomian, or eyelid gland. A hordeolum, or stye, is the name given during the initial or acute phase of the possibly infected gland, whereas a chalazion...
The body handles stress by releasing a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is released from two small glands, one located on top of each kidney, called the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands produce a number of hormones, giving it a variety of...
Brown spots coming from hyperpigmentation, sun damage, age and any number of skin conditions can make you feel uncomfortable and embarrassed about your own skin. While laser therapies can lighten spots, if you don't have the time or funds to see...
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a hormonal disorder that affects 10% of all women, and is one of the leading causes of infertility. Get expert tips and advice on living with, diagnosing, and treating polycystic ovary syndrome in this video.
Addison's disease is a disorder that results in your body producing insufficient amounts of certain hormones produced by your adrenal glands. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments of Addison's in this video.
