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pigmentation

Hypopigmentation on Arms

Insights from Dr. Lisa Ginn on January 21, 2010

Q: Can hypopigmentation on the arms that has been present for about 10 years still leave one’s skin?

A: Hypopigmentation is the loss of color in the skin, and the contrast of the light spots is especially more noticeable after months in the summer sun, when the rest of your skin may be darker. If your pale spots have not changed in size over 10 years and are small, it is probably a common and benign condition that is actually a type of scarring, and which is not likely to disappear without treatment.

Uneven Skin Tone

Insights from Dr. Lisa Ginn on November 30, 2009

As summer tans fade, we may see remnants on our skin of those happy hours spent in the sun. That is because the cells (melanocytes) that produce skin tone or pigment (melanin) are stimulated by sun exposure to produce more melanin. Excess melanin can cause visibly uneven areas of darker skin, a condition called hyperpigmentation. Conversely, other areas may lose melanin, resulting in pale or white spots, a condition called hypopigmentation. 

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