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Patchy skin color refers to areas of irregular skin coloring. Mottling or mottled skin refers specifically to blood vessel changes in the skin which cause a patchy appearance.
Alternative NamesDyschromia; Mottling
ConsiderationsIrregular or patchy discoloration of the skin can be caused by:
- Changes in melanin, a substance produced in the skin cells that gives skin its color
- Growth of foreign organisms on the skin
- Blood vessel (vascular) changes
The following can increase or decrease melanin production:
- Your genes
- Heat
- Injury
- Exposure to solar or ionizing radiation
- Exposure to heavy metals
- Changes in hormone levels
Exposure to sun or ultraviolet (UV) light, especially after taking a medicine called psoralens, may increase pigmentation. Increased pigment production is called hyperpigmentation.
Decreased pigment production is called hypopigmentation.
Skin color changes can be a single disorder, or they may result from other medical conditions or disorders.
How much skin pigmentation you have can determine, to some extent, which skin diseases you may be more likely to develop. For example, lighter-skinned people are more sensitive to sun exposure and damage, which raises the risk for skin cancers. However, too much sun exposure can lead to skin cancers even in darker-skinned people. See:
Generally, pigment changes are cosmetic and do not affect physical health. However, psychological stress can occur because of pigment changes. Some pigment changes may be a sign that you are at risk for other medical disorders.
Common Causes- Cafe-au-lait spots
- Chloasma
- Cuts, scrapes, wounds, insect bites and minor skin infections
- Erythrasma
- Melasma
- Melanoma
- Moles (nevi), bathing trunk nevi, or giant nevi
- Mongolian blue spots
- Photosensitivity as a reaction to medications or certain drugs
- Pityriasis alba
- Radiation therapy
- Rashes
- sunburn or sun tan
- Tineaversicolor
- Uneven application of sunscreen resulting in areas of burn, tan, and no tan
- Vitiligo
Normal skin color may return on its own in some cases.
You may use lotions that bleach or lighten the skin, such as hydroquinone, to reduce hyperpigmented skin or to even the skin tone where hypopigmented areas are large or very noticeable.
Selsun blue or tolnaftate (Tinactin) lotion can help treat tinea versicolor. Apply as directed to the affected area daily until the lesions disappear. Unfortunately, tinea versicolor often returns no matter what type of treatment is used.
You may use cosmetics or skin dyes to disguise skin color changes. Makeup can help hide mottled skin, but will not cure the problem.
Avoid excessive sun exposure and use sunblock. Hypopigmented skin sunburns easily, and hyperpigmented skin may get even darker. In darker-skinned people, skin damage may cause permanent hyperpigmentation.
Call your health care provider ifContact your doctor if you have any persistent skin coloring changes without a known cause.
Also call if you you notice a new mole or other growth, or if an existing one has changed color, size, or appearance.
What to expect at your health care provider's officeThe doctor will carefully examine the skin and ask questions about your medical history and symptoms, such as:
- When did the skin coloring change develop?
- Did it develop slowly or suddenly?
- Is it getting worse? How quickly?
- What is your normal skin color?
- Does the skin coloring change appear in more than one location?
- Have you had any injury to the skin (including sunburn or frequent sun tans)?
- Are you pregnant?
- What medications do you take?
- What medical treatments have you had?
- What other symptoms do you have?
Tests that may be done include:
- Scrapings of skin lesions
- Skin biopsy
- Wood's lamp(ultraviolet light) examination of the skin
What else can I help you with?
Patchy light brown sopts in pigmentation of skin?
Urticaria
My skin is patchy like I have peeled then scared?
probs dry skin just head to the doctors k from charlottte ranson
What could be the reason of post delivery patchy skin and how can you get a clear skin now?
Post delivery many women get pigmentation.
What is the best solution for post pregnancy patchy skin?
You must have a good regime for face skin care as it takes time to heal and repair.
How does arsenic affect the skin when ingested?
it can cause skin cancer and Patchy skin hyperpigmentation, small focal keratoses, and other skin lesions are common effects of heavy chronic exposure.
When was A Bit Patchy created?
A Bit Patchy was created in 2005-10.
What is the opposite of skin color?
The opposite of skin color is not having any skin color, which would be transparent or colorless.
What did Michael Jackson look like without the makeup and prosthetics?
He did not wear any prosthetics. Without pancake make up his skin was patchy because of the vitiligo, he still had splotches of dark skin.
Where can you find a patchy patch doll from toopy and binoo?
There is a Patchy Patch doll available on Kijiji.ca There is also a discussion about the patchy doll on ebrandon.ca
What is the skin color of poseidon?
his skin color is green
What is grayish skin color?
Skin color grayish.
What is patchy sclerosis?
Patchy sclerosis refers to a condition characterized by localized areas of hardening or scarring in tissues, often associated with inflammatory processes. It can occur in various organs, including the skin and lungs, and may be seen in conditions like scleroderma. The term "patchy" indicates that the sclerosis is not uniform but rather occurs in distinct patches. Diagnosis and treatment depend on the underlying cause and affected areas.
