Skin pigmentation is a condition that millions of people develop at some point or other in their lives. This natural pigmentation has many advantages in the case of brown skin. These include protection from the sun and slowing down the signs of aging. In many cases, however, skin pigmentation can cause a person social and psychological stress. Luckily, there are a number of steps you can take to do something about it. You could speak to your dermatologist about your skin pigmentation issues to figure out what are the treatment options that you have.

So, what exactly is skin pigmentation? Our skin is the largest organ in the body. It is basically made up of the epidermis and dermis. These two layers are further divided into more layers. The basal layer of the epidermis consists of organelles which are known as melanosomes, which in turn contains melanocytes which are responsible for the production of melanin.

The melanin or pigment present in your skin helps determine your skin color, be it black, dark brown, or yellow. This melanin imparts color not only to your skin, but also to the iris of your eyes and your hair. The levels of melanin are determined to a great extent by race and the amount of sunlight you are exposed to. When your skin is exposed to sunlight the production of melanin increases and provides your skin protection from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Skin Pigmentation

Skin pigmentation problems occur because your body produces either too much or too little melanin. When this takes place your skin tone becomes either darker or lighter. Your skin looks uneven and blotchy in many cases. Skin pigmentation could be caused by a number of reasons such as some drug reactions, auto immune conditions, and in some cases due to genetic inheritance. The main reason for skin pigmentation problems is sun damage.

Home Remedies
Onion Juice: Take equal parts of apple cider vinegar and onion juice and apply this to your skin with the help of a cotton ball. Continue doing this for a few weeks and see the results. As an alternative you could dip a cut slice of onion in vinegar and apply it to the affected area. This works great for age spots and melasma.

Vinegar: Water and vinegar diluted equally together could be used to clean and rinse your face. Air drying it will help seal in the moisture. This combination of vinegar and water can also be used in the place of a toner or astringent. Chemically, vinegar is acetic acid and helps making your skin white and bright. Your skin also becomes more radiant and smoother. People sometimes use white vinegar that is distilled instead of apple cider or natural vinegars which are recommended.

Lemon Juice: Take the juice of a fresh lemon and apply it to the area that is affected by pigmentation. It has an acidic effect on your skin and helps in peeling off the top layer of the skin. The age spots or melasma gradually fades away.

Sometimes skin pigmentation is a result of a deficiency of Vitamin D and Vitamin E. It is important that you increase the intake of these vitamins or take some additional supplements. Please check with your doctor before you take any supplements. Include foods such as liver, carrots, sweet potatoes, cheese, egg yolks, almonds and blueberries in your diet.

Take some raw potato and grate it, then squeeze the juice and evenly apply on your face. Rinse this off after 15 minutes or so. This is an excellent skin lightener and can help lessen skin pigmentation. To sum up, skin pigmentation is a problem that causes certain sections of your skin to darken excessively, or in some cases lose color. This happens due to various reasons, and it is important that you understand how it is caused to be able to treat it effectively. There are a number of treatments that are available to treat skin pigmentation which range from the application of pigmentation treatment creams to remedies which you can try out at home.