Why dark spots appear on the skin
Did you know that the skin is the largest organ in our body? It can reach up to 2 square meters, with a thickness that ranges between 0.5 mm. and 4 mm. depending on the place of the body, and an approximate weight of about 5 kg. Among its most important functions we find that it becomes a vital protection of our organism against the invasion of bacteria and the entry of foreign substances. That is to say, exerts a very important protective function, preventing fungi or microbes from entering our body.
But in addition to being a vital protection for our body and to exercise other functions as important as for example helping us regulate our body temperature or absorb the vitamin D that we get through the sun's rays, It also becomes a true reflection of our health, so that any disease or pathology that we suffer to a greater or lesser extent will show some signs or symptoms in our skin. But let's go part.
Sun photoprotection is of vital importance when it comes to protecting our skin from the harmful and negative effects of the sun. And it is that an inadequate protection (either for lack of protection or for doing it incorrectly) will cause the appearance of spots on the skin, medically known by the name of Sunspots.
Causes of spots on the skin
The sun and its harmful effects on the skin
The truth is that we are facing one of the main causes of the appearance of this type of spots, caused by the prolonged exposure to sunlight by causing the skin to generate more melanin than necessary to protect, causing the appearance of brown, black or simply darker spots.
Ultraviolet rays (UVA) cause the melanin responsible for regulating the pigment in the upper layer of the skin, is generated in greater quantity, so that in those areas of our skin where melanin is more clustered finally end up appearing a spot .
But the sun is not only a cause of dark spots on the skin. It also causes damage to our cells, which release free radicals, being the main culprits of the premature aging of skin cells. They are known by the name of solar lentigo.
The aging
In addition to the premature aging of the skin, caused not only by the sun and by inadequate sun protection but also by other causes such as certain unhealthy habits, we must also remember the normal aging of our body.
That is to say, the spots that appear on our skin because of age, known more popularly with the name of age spots or just like aging spots, although medically they are known by the name of lentigo. The truth is that they can not be avoided, but depending on the lifestyle we lead we will get older sooner or later.
These spots begin to appear especially after 30 years as a result of disorders in the mechanism of production and distribution of melanin, since there is usually an increase in the production of melanin and an irregular distribution in the skin of the same
Liver diseases
Certain pathologies or liver diseases can cause the appearance of spots on the skin. We must ignore this time the jaundice, which mostly only produces a yellow coloration due to the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood.
This is what happens, for example, with hemochromatosis, a disease that causes an excessive accumulation of iron both in the tissues and in some organs of the body, highlighting the liver as one of the organs most affected in this regard.
Hemochromatosis can be primary or hereditary and secondary or acquired, and it is estimated that about 75% of patients with hemochromatosis have hyperpigmentation in the skin.
Hormonal imbalances
Determined hormonal imbalances may cause the appearance of melasma, a dark spot on the skin that appears when certain medicines are being taken or during pregnancy, when the future mother sunbathes at this time without using the proper protection.
Therefore, when a woman is pregnant, it is extremely important that she protect her skin adequately, not only because the likelihood of spotting is greater, but also as a form of protection to avoid more serious diseases such as cutaneous cancer. .
