The appearance of darkened skin in the area of the vagina is usually due to the presence of veins beneath the skin. Also, with age, the fatty tissues of the pubic area start thinning and as such the veins under the skin are more visible and make the skin above them appear dark. If the darkened skin is not accompanied by other symptoms such as pain or itching, then there is no cause for concern. In some cases, dark patches in the area of the vagina could be indicative of insulin spillover. This generally occurs in individuals who are obese. If the production of insulin in the body is excessive, there is a spillover onto the skin. This causes the skin to appear dark as the insulin stimulates the melanocytes to produce melanin. This is known as a condition called acanthosis nigricans. It results in hyper pigmentation of the skin in patches in the areas of the neck, arms and groin.
Acanthosis nigricans is also caused by insulin resistance which occurs in type 2 diabetes. These pigmented patches of skin in the vaginal area can also result from the use of certain medications. The condition may also be a result of genetic vulnerability. Darkening of the skin sometimes occurs due to thyroid problems such as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Tight undergarments could also be responsible for blackening of the skin in the pubic area as it causes irritation and abrasion of the skin. Constant friction of the skin can aggravate hyper pigmentation in the area. Synthetic fibers also tend to irritate the delicate skin in the groin area and lead to patches of pigmented skin.
You could prevent further darkening of the skin by wearing undergarments that are comfortable and made of cotton. Avoid wearing tight jeans and pants as this will constrict the area and cause friction. Rubbing the pigmented area with a slice of lemon will help to reduce the discoloration as lemon works as a natural bleaching agent. You could also apply a paste of baking soda and water to the darkened areas of skin. Papaya is also known to have a bleaching effect. You can take a piece of papaya and rub it over the affected area. A paste of lime juice and turmeric powder also works well in lightening the skin. Another effective remedy is to prepare a mixture of honey, milk powder, almond oil and lemon juice and apply to the pigmented areas. Grated potato also serves as a beneficial remedy for lightening dark patches on the skin.
answered by G M