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Pigment spots - causes and home remedies
contents
- causes
- Disturbed melanin formation - solar radiation
- Hormones can disrupt skin metabolism
- drug
- Injuries of the epidermis: burns, skin diseases
- freckles
- age spots
- birthmark
- Café-au-lait spots
- Peutz-Jeghers syndrome
- Brown spots due to small bleeding
- skin cancer
- Kaposi's sarcoma
- Other causes
- Prevention - correct sun protection
- home remedies
- Schüssler salts
- When to the doctor?
causes
The so-called melanocytes are the skin cells that produce the dye melanin. This fabric ensures that we become brown when exposed to sunlight and thus our skin is protected. In most cases, pigmentation occurs when too much of the dye accumulates at different sites. But other reasons are possible.
Pigment spots can take on very different forms and are usually harmless. However, they can also be associated with serious illnesses. (Image: animaflora / fotolia.com) Causes of such a "disorder" include excessive exposure to the sun, female hormones, birth control pills, hormonal preparations, pregnancy, medicines, burns, skin diseases, metabolic disorders, gluten intolerance, folic acid or vitamin B12 deficiency, tumors and much more his. The following lines take a closer look at the different causes.
Disturbed melanin formation - solar radiation
The sun has a great influence on melanin formation. How much melanin is formed and stored is individual and differentiates between the different skin types. The fact is that solar radiation animates melanin production - the skin turns brown. However, the sun can also act quite selectively on the coloring cells and damage them. In this way, more pigment spots can arise.
Under the influence of solar radiation, melanin is formed in the melanocytes. This process can be disturbed by various influences, which may result in the formation of pigmented spots. (Image: designua / fotolia.com) Hormones can disrupt skin metabolism
Large areas of pigmentation in the area of the face, which appear like a mask, occur more frequently in pregnancy. The culprit is the hormonal change. However, this pigment disorder, known in the jargon as melasma or chloasma gravidarum, is also made possible by taking the pill (this is called chloasma hormonal). As a rule, the spots develop after delivery, or after discontinuation of the pill, back - but unfortunately not always.
Healthy skin depends on a healthy metabolism and a well-functioning hormone system. Therefore, changes in the hormonal system or the intake of hormones can alter the metabolism of the skin and cause pigmentation.
drug
After taking certain medicines, side effects may be brown spots. Some medications mainly react with sunlight, making the skin more sensitive to light and leaving pigmentation marks behind. Antirheumatics containing gold salts, cytostatics, antimalarials with the active ingredient chloroquine, some antibiotics and neuroleptics can cause disturbing stains and this especially in combination with the sun. St. John's wort should not be used at all during the summer months, as the substance hypericin contained in it makes the skin very sensitive to light and tends to cause the formation of brownish spots.
Essential oils are highly concentrated and should only be applied to the skin in homeopathic doses. It is important to pay attention to good, pure quality. However, a high quality essential oil in combination with the sun can also lead to brown spots on the skin. This is also possible if perfume was applied before sunbathing.
Injuries of the epidermis: burns, skin diseases
Pigmented spots can be caused by injuries to the epidermis. Causes for it are burns or skin illnesses, like Neurodermitis, Lichen ruber (Knotchenflechte) and Psoriasis (psoriasis). Another skin condition associated with brown spots is urticaria pigmentosa. Those affected suffer from small, itchy reddish-brown spots or nodules. Even after insect bites or dermatitis pigment spots are possible.
Especially in Asians skin lesions or inflammations often cause very ugly pigment spots, the postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.
freckles
People with fair skin, blondes and redheads tend to get freckles. These are caused by the uneven distribution of the pigment melanin. The freckles fade in winter and begin to sprout under the sun. Above all, it affects the face, upper arms and décolleté.
A widespread form of pigmented spots are so-called age spots which, however, do not pose a health risk. (Image: fpic / fotolia.com) age spots
Not only the sweet freckles bloom under the sun, but also age spots, so-called lentigines solares (sunspots that are lenticular), multiply when the skin is repeatedly exposed to the sun for years. The age spots are among the chronic photodamage of the skin. These occur above all from the age of 40 on and prefer skin areas, such as the back of the hand, forearms, décolletage and face. The unsightly small pigmentation spots can even grow to a few centimeters. Age spots, unlike freckles, hardly fade in the winter months.
birthmark
Birthmark or liver spot, both are colloquial expressions. In technical language, such pigmented spots are called nevus. This is flat or raised, pink, brown to black and can be several inches tall. As a rule, a birthmark is a harmless affair. However, if this changes (see "when to the doctor"), a specialist medical examination is necessary.
Liver stains are innate or arise in the course of life. Hormonal influences, UV radiation, especially in childhood, a severely weakened immune system, for example, as a result of chemotherapy - all these factors may favor an increase in liver spots.
Café-au-lait spots
Café-au-lait stains are pigmented stains, the color of which is similar to a milk coffee, hence the name. The spots are not raised and are up to 15 cm tall. The number is different - everything from one spot to multiple occurrences is possible. Often, these skin conditions are from birth or develop during infancy. If a child has many of these pigment spots, this should be clarified by a specialist in order to rule out a neurofibromatosis.
Peutz-Jeghers syndrome
Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is a hereditary disease that manifests itself mainly in multiple polyps in the gastrointestinal tract. On the skin as well as on the mucous membrane there are pigmented spots, especially in the lip red, around the mouth and in the car mucosa.
Brown spots due to small bleeding
Minor bumps and dull injuries can cause minor veins and arteries. This then becomes visible as a bruise, or hematoma. The colors change from red, purple to yellowish-brownish. The color is responsible for the blood pigment, the iron, contained in the blood.
In the worst case, pigmentation can also be caused by malignant, swollen skin cancer, so in case of doubt, a medical examination is appropriate. (Image: glisic_albina / fotolia.com) skin cancer
Unfortunately, pigmentation is not always harmless. In the worst case, it hides a skin cancer. The most malignant variant is malignant melanoma, black skin cancer. Even without discomfort, this form of cancer can metastasize relatively early. The timely removal of the tumor is crucial for a good prognosis.
Causes of malignant melanoma include heredity and frequent regular sunbathing in childhood, in conjunction with sunburns.
Skin cancer can form from an existing liver patch. Here, regular observation of one's body is very important. If a stain changes, you should definitely visit a dermatologist.
Kaposi's sarcoma
Kaposi's sarcoma is a malignant tumor that occurs mainly in association with AIDS. Infected are skin, mucous membrane and internal organs. Significant are brownish skin changes that usually occur at the beginning of the legs.
Other causes
Contact with aggressive substances such as acetic acid and phenols can also cause pigmentation. Other causes are liver diseases, autoimmune diseases such as sarcoidosis or the iron storage disease.
Furthermore, contact with various plants, such as the meadowbuckle, can cause color changes on the skin.
Prevention - correct sun protection
Proper sunscreen is important to protect against most forms of pigmentation. How long sunbathing takes depends on the skin type. But even tanned skin needs a suitable sunscreen after twenty minutes of intensive sunbathing. Sun protection is not only needed on the beach or in the swimming pool, but also during city strolls, in convertibles, during sports or cycling. This is often forgotten and then threatens the unpleasant, painful sunburn.
Appropriate sun protection often prevents the formation of pigmentation marks. (Image: Markomarcello / fotolia.com) Whether the choice falls on oil, cream or lotion is up to you. The ingredients must be right. Test results help with the selection. The sun protection factor is chosen according to the skin type. Those who are not sure prefer to use a high factor.
When sunscreen is in principle the sentence: "Much helps a lot." So should not be saved with the amount of sunscreen. The whole body needs about three tablespoons of sunscreen. That sounds like a lot - but it must be - even when the sky is cloudy. Face, neck Shoulders, décolleté and the back of the foot must be creamed even more often than the rest.
Even from the inside, the skin can be protected. Dietary supplements that contain vitamin E, natural beta-carotene and polypodium help here. Vitamin E and beta-carotene are radical scavengers and protect the cells from oxidative stress. Polypodium is one of the species of fern, protects against free radicals and light. In addition, a diet rich in beta-carotene can help. These include red, yellow and orange foods such as peppers, carrots, apricots, basil, chicory and Swiss chard.
home remedies
With some home remedies can be tried to lighten pigmentation a bit. For example, lemon juice looks similar to a fruit acid peeling, only gentler. Thus, several times a day, the spots are dabbed with a sliced lemon half. The alternative is vinegar. As a natural bleach buttermilk is also recommended, which is also applied to the pigmentation. Other home remedies are the juice of parsley and / or a sliced garlic clove.
A mixture of the plantweeds of the lab herb and the ginger in a ratio of 8: 2 can lighten the pigmentation spots a little. An alternative to the juice is a tea of 20 g ginger root and 80 g lab herb. On a cup of 150ml of boiling water comes a teaspoon of the mixture. The whole thing should take about 10 minutes. With the decoction then the affected areas are dabbed several times a day.
Another home remedy for pigmentation is a slurry of magnesium sulfate, also known as Epsom salt. This is usually used for purging, but only used externally. A slurry of Epsom salt and water is applied to the stains and washed off after about fifteen minutes.
Grated horseradish can be used as a home remedy for lightening pigmentation. (Picture: angorius / fotolia.com) Another variant is the laying of freshly grated horseradish. This is packed in a cloth and brought to the affected area. After a contact time of twenty minutes, the whole thing should be washed off well and the skin should be treated with a marigold ointment. Less irritating, but equally helpful, is the papain, contained in the pulp of the papaya. With a cut fruit the pigment spots are rubbed in and washed off after half an hour.
As soon as a skin irritation occurs with the mentioned home remedies, the treatment should be stopped immediately.
Schüssler salts
For pigmentation, Schuessler salts can help with Number 6 Potassium Sulfuricum and Number 12 Calcium Sulfuricum. Especially after sunbathing, taking the salts is recommended. The number 6 is the liver of the Schüssler salts and ensures that the liver can better pass on toxins. Number 12 is a great deacidification and detoxification agent - right here.
When to the doctor?
Generally, the skin should undergo a regular check-up. This is recommended every two years. In the following changes or symptoms, however, the dermatologist must be contacted in a timely manner:
- If an already existing pigment spot gets a different shape,
- when the edges become irregular, jagged, uneven or rough,
- when the color of the pigment spot changes,
- when the size increases
- or if the spot itches, itches or even bleeds.
Uncritical pigment spots, if quite annoying to the patient, can be removed by means of a laser. However, this is only possible if the stains are absolutely harmless. (Sw)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)