Hyperpigmentation & Uneven Skin Tone

Hyperpigmentation is a term that is used to describe a darkening of the skin. It usually occurs in patches and can be present anywhere on the body.

It is not neccessarily a condition and does not tend to be harmful. However in some cases, it can occur due to illness such as coeliac disease or the rarer Addison's disease.

There are a few different types of pigmentation, with the most common being:

• Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation This is usually brought on as a result of injury or inflammation to the skin, such as acne scarring or trauma to the skin from picking spots
• Melasma Melasma affects women more than men and can be either caused by the same thing as hyperpigmentation or caused by hormonal changes. It often occurs during pregnancy, peri-menopause or while taking the contraceptive pill. These dark spots can appear on any area of the body, but they most often appear on the stomach and face. Illness such as coeliac disease, lupus or Addison's disease can also cause melasma to occur. Note that women with PCOS who are insulin resistant can develop acanthosis nigricans – this is a darkening of the skin affecting armpits, groin and neck
• Sunspots or liver spots, are a common form of pigmentation which often develop as we age. They are caused by excess sun exposure and typically appear as spots on areas exposed to the sun, like the hands and face

Hyperpigmentation often occurs when there is an excess production of melanin in the skin. Melanin is what gives our skin its colour. There are several factors that can cause overproduction of melanin, which is produced by skin cells called melanocytes.

Causes can be down to hormonal changes, which increase melanin synthesis in our bodies, these could be pregnancy or menopause for example. They can also be caused by medications, certain illnesses and over exposure to the sun.