Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation is a common, usually harmless condition in which patches of skin become darker in color than the normal surrounding skin. This darkening occurs when an excess of melanin, the brown pigment that produces normal skin color, forms deposits in the skin. Hyperpigmentation can affect the skin color of people of any race.
Causes of Hyperpigmentation
Under normal circumstances, melanin will gradually fade away following the skin’s monthly metabolism cycle. However, overexposure to ultra violet light (natural or artificial), will stimulate MSH, Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone (a key hormone related to melanin production); its function looks like the melanin switch and starts a chain reaction of melanin production, resulting in darkening of the skin color. Ultra violet light also stimulates free radical production which will gradually destroy the normal healthy skin cell and speed up the aging process, such as, wrinkles, sagging skin and skin cancer. Other factors that can contribute to hyperpigmentation are; hormonal fluctuation, disease and even laser therapies, such as hair removal, resurfacing and age spot removal.
Melanin – among these pigments, melanin which made in cells in the lower layer of the skin called melanocytes, is the main pigment causing differences in skin colour. The definition of melanin is difficult and the exact chemical structures have not yet been fully workedout. However, the melanin in humans is divided into two main groups:
- Eumelanin – brown/black pigment, prevalent in persons with dark complexions and hair.
- Pheomelanin – yellow/reddish pigment, prevalent in persons with fair complexions, freckles and red hair.
Melanin production in our skin is a natural protective reaction to absorb and reflect ultraviolet energy before it damages the skin cells. The pigment-producing cells of the skin are called melanocytes and their activity is the major determinant of the color of the hair and skin. There are two major forms of melanin produced in the epidermis and hair follicles-eumelanin and pheomelanin.
Studies show controlling hyperpigmentation via a more natural and easier to modulate methodology that works with the progression of melanogenesis in the cell, namely by controlling the descrete steps of activation, synthesis and expression of the melanocyte.
