Feb 1, 2024 · Vitiligo occurs when pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) die or stop producing melanin — the pigment that gives your skin, hair and eyes color. The involved patches of skin become lighter or white.

Nov 10, 2022 · Learn more about this condition in which your skin loses pigment cells, resulting in very light or white patches on parts of the body.

Jul 13, 2024 · Tinea versicolor is a common fungal infection of the skin. The fungus interferes with the normal pigmentation of the skin, resulting in small, discolored patches. These patches may be lighter or darker in color than the surrounding skin and …

Jun 1, 2018 · Vitiligo occurs when the cells that produce melanin die or no longer form melanin, causing slowly enlarging white patches to appear on the skin. It’s unclear exactly what causes vitiligo. It may be an autoimmune disorder, in which a person’s immune system attacks and destroys the pigment cells.

Oct 3, 2023 · Generally, a discolored patch on skin isn't cause for concern. Skin discoloration can be triggered by a number of causes, including: Atopic dermatitis (eczema). Sometimes a small area of skin becomes irritated, which results in a patch of skin that's lighter in pigment than is the skin around it (pityriasis alba).

Jun 24, 2023 · To protect itself from the damaging effects of the sun, skin makes more brown pigment, called melanin. That extra melanin is what creates a suntan. But sometimes skin doesn't make melanin evenly. As a result, the skin's coloring, called pigmentation, looks patchy. The sun also can cause small blood vessels to stretch, giving skin a blotchy look.

Feb 11, 2022 · Age spots are small, flat dark areas on the skin. They vary in size and usually appear on areas exposed to the sun, such as the face, hands, shoulders and arms. Age spots are also called sunspots, liver spots and solar lentigines.

Jun 2, 2022 · Acanthosis nigricans is a skin condition that causes a dark discoloration in body folds and creases. It typically affects the armpits, groin and neck.

Dec 17, 2022 · An actinic keratosis (ak-TIN-ik ker-uh-TOE-sis) is a rough, scaly patch on the skin that develops from years of sun exposure. It's often found on the face, lips, ears, forearms, scalp, neck or back of the hands.

Jan 25, 2024 · Learn to identify types of birthmarks by how the skin looks. Examples include café au lait spot, congenital nevus, port-wine stain and hemangioma.