Why is the face darker than the body?

In some diseases, the metabolism changes in such a way that diffuse hyperpigmentation develops, that is, the skin darkens over large areas of the body and on the face. To exclude regular tanning, examine the inner surface of the forearms. The skin on these parts of the body is usually lighter in color. In addition, you need to ask the patient if he visits a solarium.

Why the skin on the face and body darkens and what disorders this may be associated with will be discussed in this article.

Causes

There are the following groups of reasons why the skin on the face and body darkens:

1. Increased production of melanocyte-stimulating hormone.
2. Other internal diseases accompanied by metabolic disorders.
3. Taking certain medications.
4. Malignant tumors of internal organs.

Hypersecretion of melanocyte-stimulating hormone

The skin darkens when the level of melanin, a coloring pigment contained in special cells called melanocytes, increases. The production and release of this substance into the skin is activated under the influence of one of the pituitary hormones - melanocyte-stimulating.

Active synthesis of this hormone occurs in Addison's disease, one of the main causes of skin hyperpigmentation.

Addison's disease is a chronic adrenal insufficiency that occurs due to tuberculosis, infection, amyloidosis and other damage to these important organs. The adrenal glands stop synthesizing hormones, to which the body responds with increased secretion of a substance that stimulates their hormonal activity - adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), thus trying to restore their activity. The physiology of this process is such that, simultaneously with the increased production of ACTH, the release of melanocyte-stimulating hormone, which causes darkening of the skin, also increases.

In Addison's disease, the skin is bronze, golden brown, or dark gray in color, often looking like a deep tan. Pigmentation is especially noticeable in open areas - the face, hands, as well as in places where clothing rubs, for example, on the neck. The skin also darkens in the genital area, nipple areolas, and postoperative scars. Dark spots also appear on the oral mucosa.

If you suspect Addison's disease, you should consult an endocrinologist.

Internal diseases with metabolic disorders

Some diseases and physiological conditions cause darkening of the skin, for example:

Hemochromatosis is a hereditary disease in which the absorption of iron from food in the intestines increases. Iron-containing pigments are deposited in all organs and tissues, disrupting their functions.

Skin pigmentation in this disease is smoky, gray, bronze in color, most pronounced on the face and hands, as well as in the genital area, in the armpits, and the area of ​​postoperative scars. With this disease, the liver and heart are affected, endocrine disorders develop, including diabetes mellitus. If you suspect hemochromatosis, you should consult a gastroenterologist.

Liver cirrhosis is characterized by a violation of the neutralization of bile, the absorption of bile pigments into the blood and their deposition in tissues. In patients with liver cirrhosis, parenchymal jaundice develops, accompanied by dark brown pigmentation of the skin. Liver cirrhosis is also characterized by itchy skin and pain in the right hypochondrium. This disease is treated by a gastroenterologist.

Porphyrias are a group of hereditary diseases associated with impaired hemoglobin formation. Intermediate products of its metabolism - porphyrins - accumulate in the skin, where they oxidize under the influence of sunlight. As a result, the skin turns brown. It is easily damaged, becoming covered with ulcers and scars.

Sun exposure is contraindicated for patients with porphyria. A hematologist can help with this disease.

Hyperpigmentation due to medications

If the cause of darkening of the skin is unclear, the doctor should ask the patient if he is taking any of the following medications:

1. oral contraceptives;
2. chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine;
3. preparations of silver, gold;
4. amiodarone;
5. busulfan and bleomycin;
6. aminazine

Combined oral contraceptives can cause liver dysfunction with the development of parenchymal jaundice. Chloroquine and its derivatives are used to treat malaria, photodermatoses, as well as connective tissue diseases - systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis. These products may cause the skin to turn bluish-gray.

The use of silver in dietary supplements, the use of salts of this metal as antiseptics for washing urinary catheters, and long-term use of protargol can cause argyrosis: gray-blue discoloration of the skin. The use of krizanol (a gold preparation) can lead to a purple coloration of the skin.

Long-term use of amiodarone or cordarone for cardiac arrhythmias sometimes causes exposed skin to turn brown or gray.

Busulfan and bleomycin are used to treat malignant tumors. These drugs often cause darkening and other changes in the skin.

Aminazine is used in psychiatric practice. With prolonged use, it turns the skin gray.

Darkening of the skin due to malignant tumors

Skin color may change due to malignant tumors of internal organs, including lymphomas. This phenomenon is called acanthosis nigricans maligna (malignant acanthosis nigricans) and is accompanied by dark symmetrical spots and stripes in the neck, armpits, external genitalia, and inguinal folds.

Acanthosis nigricans also occurs in benign diseases of the nervous and endocrine systems in young people.

For any change in skin color of unknown origin, you should consult a dermatologist. After the initial diagnosis, this doctor can refer the patient to an appropriate specialist. Darkening of the skin cannot be ignored, because this sign is a symptom of many serious diseases.

Which doctor should I contact?

If there is widespread or limited discoloration of the skin, you should consult a dermatologist. After ruling out skin diseases, the patient is usually referred to a general practitioner, where he undergoes an examination of the internal organs. After clarifying the diagnosis, a consultation with a specialized specialist is scheduled: endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, hepatologist, hematologist, oncologist.

The disease acanthosis nigricans was described in the 9th century and is considered quite rare. The development of acanthosis is accompanied by the appearance of areas of hyperkeratosis in the area of ​​natural skin folds. In these areas, increased pigmentation and skin papillomatosis are found. Large folds of skin are usually affected - the armpits, groin and neck. Timely detection of acanthosis in the early stages can indicate serious processes. Why acanthosis is dangerous and how to recognize it, read on estet-portal. com.

The main causes of the development of acanthosis nigricans

Acanthosis nigricans can develop in a person of any gender and age, and the causes for each patient are individual and specific.

Predisposing factors for the development of acanthosis nigricans are:

1. Pathologies in the functioning of endocrine organs.
2. Malignant neoplasms provoke many complex biochemical and immune system reactions. Men are susceptible to acanthosis in the presence of pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, women - in the presence of ovarian and mammary gland cancer.
3. Heredity influences the development of acanthosis. In case of metabolic disorders and mental inferiority, which are caused by hereditary pathology, for example, with Rood and Miescher syndromes, acanthosis develops.
4. Taking estrogen hormones and certain other medications.

Thus, in young people, the causes of acanthosis are often obesity, endocrine disorders and genetic pathologies; in older people, the causes are often neoplasms.

What symptoms indicate acanthosis? Forms of acanthosis nigricans

Acanthosis has several forms of progression depending on the cause, which determines the intensity of the development of the process. Dermatologists have identified 3 main forms of acanthosis nigricans:

1. Juvenile or benign, which is associated with endocrine and genetic pathologies.
2. Malignant or paraneoplastic, which develops with malignant tumors of internal organs.
3. Pseudoacanthosis, which develops with obesity and metabolic disorders. This form disappears without a trace when weight is normalized and has the best prognosis.

Clinical manifestations of acanthosis have 3 main symptoms:

1. Increased pigmentation - the appearance of black or dark brown spots on the skin.
2. Papillomatosis is the presence of fibromas or papillomas on the skin, which are popularly called warts.
3. Hyperkeratosis, which provokes roughening and exfoliation of the skin.

Localization of acanthosis on the skin. What symptoms accompany the progression of acanthosis?

The above-described skin changes are most often found on the skin of the inguinal-femoral fold, intergluteal region, elbow bends, on the fold between the back of the head and neck, on the skin of the armpits, in the popliteal region, on the skin under the mammary glands. It is possible that a triad of symptoms may appear on other parts of the body (face, side of the neck and navel area).

In the early stages of acanthosis development, the patient's skin gradually darkens. Many people try to wash their skin thoroughly, thinking that it is dirty. As the disease progresses, the skin begins to darken even more, becomes rough, dry, and thickens. The natural pattern of the skin becomes more pronounced and deep.

At later stages, growths in the form of fibromas and small papillomas appear on the affected areas of the skin. The growths are papillary in shape and arranged in dense rows, giving the skin a warty appearance. These lesions may also be hyperpigmented. All symptoms of acanthosis on the skin are accompanied by mild itching and tingling. There is no hair on the affected areas of the skin.

What are the aspects of diagnosis and treatment of acanthosis nigricans?

If darkening of the skin is detected in certain areas of the skin, which does not go away, but only progresses, you should consult a dermatologist. The specialist will conduct a differential diagnosis with Addison's disease, ichthyosis, and Darier's disease. The final diagnosis of acanthosis nigricans is established based on histological examination of the biopsy specimen. If a malignant form is suspected, consultation with an oncologist is required.

Treatment includes therapy for the underlying disease that led to acanthosis and symptomatic therapy. Prescribe general tonic drugs, vitamin complexes, anti-inflammatory ointments, baths with potassium permanganate, zinc preparations, aromatic retinoids. In severe cases - cytostatics and hormonal drugs, neurotropic drugs, antibacterial therapy. All this must be accompanied by a diet.

In case of massive growths of papillomas, they are surgically removed using cryodestruction or electrocoagulation.

Thus, simple darkening of the skin may hide the course of the oncological process, which is not yet manifested by general symptoms, but only by acanthosis. Therefore, contacting a doctor if you suspect acanthosis can improve the prognosis of the course of pathological processes.

According to experts, a change in skin color, that is, its darkening, occurs when there is a metabolic disorder caused by certain diseases. Read more about why diffuse hyperpigmentation occurs.

Causes

The skin of the body and face can darken not only due to a metabolic failure, but also when taking certain medications, a malignant tumor of internal organs or an increase in the production of a hormone that stimulates the production of melanin (the latter is responsible for skin color - the less it is, the lighter it is) ). Now let's look at the listed reasons in more detail. For example, active synthesis of melanocyte-stimulating hormone is possible in Addison's disease.

We are talking about chronic adrenal insufficiency, a companion to tuberculosis, infections, amyloidosis and other lesions of the adrenal glands. Due to ill health, these organs do not produce hormones, and the body tries to stimulate the process by triggering the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and the more of it, the more actively melanocyte-stimulating hormone is released. As a result, the skin becomes golden brown, dark gray, bronze. Changes are noticeable on the hands, face, neck, genital area, and oral mucosa. An endocrinologist can help resolve the problem.

The skin also becomes different with hemochromatosis, liver cirrhosis, and porphyria. In the first case, the disease is hereditary and is associated with increased absorption of iron by the intestines and the deposition of iron-containing pigments in the tissues and organs of the body. The skin takes on a bronze, gray or smoky color on the hands, face, genitals, and armpits. A gastroenterologist often diagnoses damage to the liver, heart, and endocrine system.

As for the liver and cirrhosis of this organ, bile is deposited in the tissues and its pigments are absorbed into the blood. As a result, against the background of jaundice, a person’s skin becomes dark brown. A gastroenterologist deals with the elimination of unnatural color, itching of the skin and pain in the right hypochondrium. But porphyria should be diagnosed by a hematologist. The specialist will determine a hereditary disease in which you should not be in the sun, since due to a disruption in the formation of hemoglobin, porphyrin is formed, which oxidizes when exposed to ultraviolet radiation and gives the skin a brown color.

You can encounter hyperpigmentation of the skin while taking aminazine (the skin turns grey), oral contraceptives (sometimes disrupt the liver), silver preparations (often gray-blue color), gold (the skin may turn purple), chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine (applicable for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, stain the skin bluish-gray), amiodarone, busulfan and bleomycin.

In conclusion, let’s name another cause of darkening of the skin – a malignant tumor. Experts attribute this to not only internal organ cancer, but also lymphoma. A particularly pronounced phenomenon is malignant acanthosis nigricans, in which dark symmetrical spots and stripes appear on the neck, groin, genitals and armpits. It is worth adding that this problem is sometimes diagnosed in young people with benign diseases of the endocrine and nervous systems.

In any case, if the skin has changed its color for unknown reasons, it is important to start with a visit to a therapist and dermatologist. Ignoring a symptom can lead to serious irreversible consequences.