If the discoloration around your mouth makes you uncomfortable or bothers you, then it is high time you knew this was a sign of pigmentation around your mouth. These areas of the skin tend to develop in small patches and may result anywhere on the body. The discoloration can directly result from increased melanin production in your skin.
Though these dark patches don't necessarily require treatment, for some people, the discoloration around the mouth can be troublesome, depending on the size of the patches. So, to get rid of the pigmentation around your mouth, if you are looking for the best skin doctor for your pigmentation treatment in Hyderabad, you can rely upon Dr. Ravali Yalamanchili at Neya Dermatology & Aesthetics Clinic. We have taken her insights to come up with this blog. Here, you will learn about the causes and treatment options for discoloration around the mouth. So, let's get started!
What Are The Causes Of Dark Spots Around The Mouth?
Melanin is a colour pigment that gives natural colour to your skin. While sun exposure, medications, hormone fluctuations, and certain underlying conditions can create changes in melanin production, primarily on the face. It results in hyperpigmentation spots that may appear as discoloration around your mouth.
Medication Side-Effects
Though oral contraceptives may cause melasma, there are other medications too that increase the risk of hyperpigmentation, such as:
Chemotherapy drugs
Hormone replacement therapy, especially estrogen
Doxycycline (A type of antibiotic that increases sun sensitivity)
Sun-Exposure
Ultraviolet (UV) rays from sun exposure and tanning beds are known to increase the risk of dark spots as you age. It can include age spots/sun spots/ liver spots. These are most commonly found on the face, arms, and chest. Moreover, sun exposure can also worsen melasma present in your skin. If you skip the mouth and lips area while applying sunscreen, you remain on the borderline of getting effective by pigmentation.
Melasma
Melasma consists of dark brown and grayish brown patches on the cheeks, forehead, and upper lip. Hormonal fluctuations in women usually cause them and can occur during pregnancy or while taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy.
Melasma usually occurs on the face in areas such as the upper lip and chin or on the cheeks, nose, and forehead. The excess sun exposure can make the patches more noticeable. This condition is less common in men than in women.
Trauma To The Skin
If you have a severe injury, acne breakout, burn, or infection around your mouth, there is a high chance that you may have hyperpigmentation in the form of brown and black spots after the skin has healed. This type of discoloration usually fades away after several months.
Vitamin Deficiencies
Skin pigment changes may also occur due to vitamin deficiencies, including vitamin B12 and vitamin D. As per a report, vitamin D deficiency is more prominent in people having melasma.
Who Is More Prone to Get Pigmentation Around The Mouth?
People with dark skin are more prone to get pigmentation around their mouth than people with light skin. This is because melanin is produced more in the dark than pale skin.
When you age, you may notice more spots around your chest, face, and other areas more exposed to UV rays. If you don't wear sunscreen around your mouth, the skin discoloration risk in that area increases.
You may also notice that discoloration around the mouth worsens during the summer months. The reason behind this is sun exposure, which stimulates more melanin and makes hyperpigmentation more noticeable.
Treatment Methods Of Hyperpigmentation Around Mouth
Hyperpigmentation around the mouth may be more challenging to treat when compared to other areas of the face due to the delicate areas of the skin in nature. However, effective treatment solutions can include home remedies as well as medical treatment. Let's explore them below-
Home Remedies
1. Make sure you wear sunscreen daily and do not forget to apply it on the mouth
2. Using exfoliation and skin brightening serums containing antioxidants like vitamin C. Though they do not give a permanent solution, the spots may return soon after stopping using these methods.
3. You can use retinoids to lighten your skin.
These products can also show some side effects. It is best to consult your doctor before applying to them, and for a better and permanent result, you can consider getting medical treatment. It include treatments like:
Carbon Laser Peel
MNRF (Microneedling Radiofrequency)
Photofacial (Intense Pulsed Light)
Laser Resurfacing
What Is The Best Way To Prevent Pigmentation?
As suggested by skin-care specialists, the best ways to prevent pigmentation around your mouth are:
Wear sun-protecting clothes
Use broad-spectrum sunscreens of SPF 30 and above on a daily basis
Avoid skin damage; do not pick at acne or scrabs to encourage calm and healthy skin.
Apply skin products containing kojic acid and phytic acid, as they can trouble the melanin production cycle by disrupting tyro-sine (amino acid), which plays a vital role in melanin production.
Wearing a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face
Trying to balance diagnosed nutritional deficiencies
Avoid tanning beds as well as peak sun hours.
Take Away
Skin discoloration or pigmentation around your mouth results from the excess melanin production in your skin. However, this is not the only reason; hormonal changes, medications, and sun exposure are also related to hyperpigmentation, along with nutritional deficiencies, skin trauma, and other medical conditions.
You can consult Dr. Ravali Yalamanchili at Neya Dermatology & Aesthetics Clinic. She is known as the best dermatologist in Hyderabad and has helped thousands of patients fall in love with their skin by solving their skin and hair issues. To book your appointment with her, you can simply visit Neya Dermatology & Aesthetics Clinic today!
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