Skin Spots And Their Causes

Skin spots are tiny hyperpigmented areas that usually do not indicate any health problems.

Are you affected too? Then find out more about skin spots and their causes here.

To understand what skin spots are and where they come from, let’s first look at the most important properties of the skin.

The skin is the largest organ in your body and completely covers it. It fulfills many functions, including:

• Protection against infection
• Regulation of your body temperature
• water-tank
• Fat storage
• Protection from heat and light
• It is a sense organ

The properties of your skin vary in color, thickness, and texture over your entire body .

What gives your skin its color?

Skin color is a physical and genetic characteristic. Various factors play a role:

• Melanin, the most important factor. It is a dark pigment that determines the color of the skin.
• Hemoglobin is part of your blood and gives it a red color.
• Carotene, which gives an orange pigmentation.
• When you are exposed to ultraviolet rays or radiation.
• Taking certain medications.

Your skin is prone to spots that are of different types and shapes and appear in different places. The majority of these skin marks are harmless and will go away on their own. However, it is good to know about skin spots and their causes.

Melanin is responsible for the pigmentation of your skin. It is produced by melanocytes. These are cells that you can find in your epidermis. It is the top layer of your skin and its function is to produce this pigment.

Melanin is distributed among the other cells so that everything looks uniform. This distribution of melanocytes can cause the following skin spots:

• Benign groups: freckles, age spots, and moles.
• Loss of pigmentation and the formation of white spots. It is hypopigmentation.

Skin spots and their causes: white spots or hypopigmentation

Skin spots can have different causes:

• Trauma, burns, or blisters: they’re all injuries that deplete melanin.

• A congenital imbalance, such as vitiligo or albinism. Vitiligo can appear as a pale spot on your skin at first, which later spreads to your entire body. Its aesthetic appearance can cause psychological problems in the person who suffers from it.
• As a result of skin inflammation or infection that damages the melanin. This is the case, for example, with seborrheic dermatitis.

Skin spots and their causes: red spots

• Birthmarks. These are marks that you have from birth. They are abnormal blood vessels in your skin.
• Acne. They mainly appear as pimples on your face. Most often they occur in teenagers.

• Blood sponges (angioma) or papules. These are blood vessels that cluster together to form bumps. They can form on the outer layer of the skin or deeper.
• Allergic reactions. These outbreaks can be caused by various allergens such as food, makeup, medication, etc.
• Petechiae. They are made up of tiny blood vessels that tear under your skin. They look like little red spots.
• Heat rash. In hot places, sweat becomes trapped under the pores. As a result, small red spots appear.
• Diseases. There are also more serious problems that cause skin redness. These include chickenpox, lupus, bruises or syphilis.

Skin spots and their causes: dark spots

These spots are darker than the rest of the skin. They are formed by a higher melanin content in these areas of the skin.

In general, they are not harmful to health. However, depending on where they are and how big they are, they affect the way they look. You can be born with some while others appear over time.

Main types of hyperchromatic spots

• Birthmarks. They are genetic in nature and completely harmless.
• Age spots. As you age, they appear in parts of the skin that are most exposed to the sun. The face, forearms and hands are most commonly affected. They are not dangerous either.
• Pregnancy patch, also called a pregnancy mask.  These are light spots that are about the color of coffee with cream. They appear mainly on the face. If you don’t use sunscreen, more may appear. These spots are the result of major hormonal changes your body goes through when you are pregnant.

• Menopausal skin spots. Note that these can also result from the use of oral contraceptives. Because contraceptives also cause hormonal changes.
• Birthmarks. These are tiny, dark, raised spots that can appear anywhere on your body. They come in all shapes and sizes. However, you should consult your doctor if the mole changes shape, color, or size.
• Freckles. They appear mainly on the face of people with fair skin. Freckles also have a genetic component. In general, they are not a health problem. They are most commonly seen on the face, arms, neck, and back.