Brown Spots on Face

Brown Spots on Face






Brown spots are known as Melasma in medical terms. It appears as small patches on parts like nose, cheeks, face, forehead and upper lip. Women have more chance for getting brown spots during their menstrual cycle.

Women who are in the reproductive cycle, belonging to age group of 20-50 years will have brown spots often. The main cause for getting these patches is exposure to sun, though sometimes it is triggered when using contraceptive pills.

Statistics say that around 6 million women are said to have brown spots in the USA alone and around 47-50 million women around the world suffer from this dark spots.

Causes :

Though it is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of brown spots, still there are certain factors that induce the formation of Melasma. Women using birth control pills, pregnancy and those who undergo hormone treatment are prone to get brown spots. Women who have family history of having brown spots and who are undertaking medicines for Epilepsy and those who are overly exposed to UV light have more chance to get brown spots than others.

Studies reveal that prolonged exposure to sunlight is sure to increase Melasma on your face. Again there are factors to prove that brown spots appear dark and visible during summer months and less in number during winter, when sunlight is not very intense.

Increased estrogen production also cause brown spots and this happens commonly during pregnancy. It is described as “mask of pregnancy” when pregnant women have large number of brown spots.

Where do brown spots occur ?

Generally brown spots occur prominently on your face, due to hyper-pigmentation process. It may occur on the center of the face, on your cheeks and on the jawbone. Very often it is seen on the cheeks, upper lip, nose and forehead. It is very rare to see brown spots on other parts of your body.

Treatment :

Using over the counter medicines that contain hydroquinone will help in getting rid of brown spots.

Prescription medicines like Glyquin, obagi clear and Triluma are effective in treating brown spots.

Doctors suggest it is better to use creams that contain more than 2% of hydroquinone for treating melasma.

You need to wash your face with cool water and apply the cream twice or thrice daily. Further you have to apply sunscreen lotion while going out in hot sun.

Though all types of melasma can be controlled, it is difficult to treat epidermal brown spots since it takes long time to respond to the treatment. For some women, the brown spots will disappear on its own after she discontinues using birth control pills or taking hormone replacement therapy.

Prescription creams for treating brown spots should include Azelaic acid, retinoic acid, corticosteroids and glycolic acid to be effective. For women with severe brown spots, the concentration of hydroquinone should be higher than normal course. Some doctors also advice to use Lac-Hydrin that contains lactic acid 12% and citrix cream with glycolic acid 10-20%. However creams that contain hydroquinone should not be used for long due to possible side effect of Ochronosis.

Pictures of Brown Spots on Face :

Images, Pics, Pictures and Photos of Brown Spots on Face

Prevention :

It is impossible to prevent brown spots occurrence, if you are genetically predisposed. But you can manage the number of brown spots, by using sunscreen lotion and staying away from direct sunlight.

Brown Spots on Face

Brown Spots on Face

What are Brown Spots on Face?

These brown spots seen on the face are known as freckles. The word freckle is originated from the Middle English word freken, which came from freknur of the Old Norse that means freckled. These are multiple spots of concentrated melanin which emerge in clusters and mostly seen on individuals with lighter skin tone on their upper-body skin areas including the cheeks, nose, arms and upper shoulders. These brown skin discolorations appear as flat, tanned rounded spots which develop randomly on the skin. Also called as ephelis, these brown spots, in contrast to Lentigines and moles, do not involve an increased number in melanocytes, the melanin producing cells.

There are two common and basic types of freckles, namely, the Ephelides and Lentingines. The former, which is a genetic trait, is used to describe a freckle which has a flat, light brown to slightly reddish characteristic and usually disappears during winter seasons. This kind of freckle is more common in people with reddish hair, green eyes and lighter complexions, although they can be seen on other people with variations in skin tones. Using sunblock regularly and avoiding sun exposure can suppress the development of Ephelides. The latter type which is also known as liver spot is a sort of freckle which does not fade away in winter; instead, it forms after many years of cumulative exposure to the sun and is more common in older people.

Predominantly, freckles are visible on the face, but may also appear anywhere especially on sun-exposed areas including the shoulders. Infants rarely have freckles; it is more commonly found in children. Freckles may disappear after some alterations brought by laser therapies and topical creams but may recur upon exposure to the sun. but in some instances, it fades away with age.

Brown Spots on Face Causes

Genetic Predisposition
Anybody can have freckles no matter what their genetic background is; nevertheless, the development of these brown spots is hereditary and is correlated to the presence of the dominant melanocortin-1 receptor MC1R gene variant.

Sun exposure
The development of freckles is initiated by cumulative sun exposure. The melanocytes are activated once the skin is exposed to ultraviolet B radiation, increasing the production of melanin, thus causing darkening of the spots.

Other causes and Predisposing factors

• Aging


• Acne


• Disease affecting the liver


• Artificial sun tanning


• Hormonal imbalance


• Pregnancy


• Stress


• Harsh chemicals


• Inappropriate skincare


• Menopause


• Post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation


• Birth control pills

Brown Spots on Face Prevention

Since the individual’s genetic component of freckling is non-modifiable, preventive measures are focused on sun avoidance and protection. Absolutely, prevention of freckling is much more effective than later attempting to remove them as it becomes more difficult and may sometimes be unsatisfactory.

• Use of sunscreens with SPF 30


• Use of wide-brimmed hats


• Use of sun-protective clothing


• Avoidance of the peak sun hours of 10 AM to 4 PM


• Seeking shade and staying indoors.

Brown Spots on Face Treatment

There are a number of available methods which are both safe and effective in lightening and reducing the appearance of brown spots. Commonly, the following treatment modalities are combined to achieve best results. Still, not everyone’s skin will improve with similar treatments and these spots may easily recur when environmental factors participate in the process.

Bleaching or fading creams
Retinoids
Occasionally used in combination with other bleaching creams, tretinoin helps lighten the skin when applied unfailingly over a recommended period of several months.
Cryosurgery
In treating some types of freckles, a light freeze with liquid nitrogen can be used but not all spots respond well to freezing and burning.

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Laser treatment
Multiple types of lasers can lighten the appearance of brown spots safely and satisfactorily with low risk of scarring and skin discoloration. These may include suitable green and red light devices.

Photofacials or Intense Pulsed Light treatments
Intense light therapy can vaporize the skin surface, therefore eliminating the pigmented lesion.

Chemical peels
This can aid in lightening the freckles and improve irregular pigmentation.

Brown Spots on Face Home Remedies

Onions
Chop up an onion, squeeze the juice out of and dip a cotton ball into the juice and apply on the brown spots

Aloe Vera
Aloe vera has healing properties which can even out skin color.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E oil is applied directly on the spots. In addition, Vitamin E supplement can be taken. It is helpful in rejuvenating the skin and also an effective anti-oxidant.

Lemon Juice and Apple Cider Vinegar
Applying lemon juice on the brown spots is a good way to bleach the discolorations, and result is noticeable after a couple of months of application. Drinking apple cider vinegar can also result to the reduction of the brown spots, and result should be in plain sight in about 5 to 6 months.

Brown Spots on Face Pictures