Skin Pigmentation Disorders: Why Skin Gets Darker or Lighter

Pigmentation means coloring. Skin pigmentation disorders change the color of your skin.

Where skin color comes from

Skin gets its color from a pigment called melanin, made by special cells in the skin. When those cells are damaged or unhealthy, melanin production changes. Some disorders affect only patches of skin; others affect the whole body.

Too much melanin: darker skin

Skin can darken with:

• pregnancy;
• Addison's disease;
• sun exposure.

Too little melanin: lighter skin

• Vitiligo causes patches of light skin.
• Albinism is a genetic condition. A person with albinism may have no color, skin lighter than normal, or patchy missing color.
• Infections, blisters and burns can also leave skin lighter.

Sources

Based on "Skin Pigmentation Disorders," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine; a work of the United States government in the public domain.