Irregular pigmentation in black skin

Posted on 07 Sep, 2011

Uneven pigmentation occurs when the body produces excess melanin or not enough. It results in colour differences, patches, blotches or freckle-like spots that usually darken with time and accumulated exposure to sunlight.

Pigmentation irregularities can be down to several causes. Hormonal changes due to pregnancy, birth-control pills or hormone replacement therapy can affect the production of melanin and result in patchy colouring.

Exposure to the sun is another cause, and is worsened if the skin has not been adequately protected.
Darker skins are also vulnerable to another cause of pigmentation problems, more so than lighter skin tones.

Damage from cuts, vaccinations, shaving, ingrowing hairs or rashes can all result in excess pigmentation. The damaged tissue can become darker during the healing process, and remain as a darker patch of skin. Again, this discoloration tends to be permanent and will only darken further in sunlight.

Addressing these problems can be achieved using a combination of treatments. In this way, the damaged superficial layers of skin are safely and gently removed through microdermabrasion, while the subsequent laser treatment boosts the production of new, healthy and undamaged skin. The result is a much improved appearance of the skin, with pigmentation problems literally fading away!