Skin pigmentation is an important part of your body"s natural defense against the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays present in sunshine. People show a range of skin colors, from very pale to quite dark skin, depending on the amount of the pigment melanin in the skin. Under normal circumstances, your skin pigmentation (or color) is a combination of your genetic heredity and environmental surroundings. What you are referring to is probably a case of ‘hyperpigmentation" where certain parts of your body may appear to be much darker than the surrounding skin. This condition occurs when the concentration of melanin in some areas is higher than normal. Perhaps the most common reason for this is prolonged exposure to sunlight. Such dark spots are common in older individuals and are often referred to as ‘age spots". However, younger people can also suffer similar discoloration due to sunburn. If you feel that sunlight could be the cause of your darker pigmentation, please make sure you wear protective gear (like hats) and use a good brand of sunscreen with a suitable Sun Protection Factor (SPF) that offers adequate UV protection. Sometimes hyperpigmentation can also be a symptom of an underlying medical condition, for example, some women get dark spots as a result of hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. If you are unsure of what is causing the spots on your skin, you are advised to visit a qualified dermatologist. If your case is simply due to high melanin concentration, you can try several remedies to reduce the discoloration.
Perhaps the most common self-treatment involves the use of over-the-counter whitening or skin lightening products. These act by ‘bleaching" the darker skin to match the tone of the surrounding skin over a period of several weeks. However, be careful to avoid the surrounding skin or you could end up having areas that are lighter than your normal skin. Many people have also reported good results from natural products and remedies. A favorite is lemon juice, whose acidic nature can help bleach the dark spots. However, you should not apply the juice for more than 10 minutes at a time to avoid irritating the skin. Fresh potato juice has also been used a milder natural bleach. At night, you could try a solution with equal parts of lime juice, glycerin, and rose water. After a bath or shower, you can apply a paste of baking soda and water over moist skin, leaving it on for 30 minutes before rinsing.
answered by G M