What is Hyperpigmentation (skin darkening)?
Hyperpigmentation is a darkening of the skin that happens due to an increase in melanin production, and an increase in its deposition in the skin.
Understanding skin-related symptoms and features
Symptoms may affect multiple parts of the body. Understanding which part of the body a symptom affects, can help us to better understand the potential underlying causes of a symptom, including a rare disease or genetic syndrome.
Skin is a part of the integumentary system of the body, a system which includes not only skin but also hair and nails too. The integumentary system acts to protect our body from external threats or injury.
Generally, symptoms affecting the skin can be seen with the eye. Although diagnosing a skin-related symptom may involve different tests and assessments, both subjective and objective.
Symptoms relating to the skin may be temporary or permanent and cover conditions including rashes, hives, lesions, and discolouration. They may affect the tone, texture and appearance of the skin in different ways. They may also cause some level of discomfort, including itching and or some level of pain.
Hyperpigmentation is associated with several conditions, such as melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (e.g., from acne or injury), and Addison’s disease. It may also occur as a side effect of certain medications or as part of genetic disorders like Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.
What should I do next?
In some instances, hyperpigmentation of the skin may be one of the features of a rare disease or genetic syndrome. To find out if someone with Hyperpigmentation, may be due to a genetic syndrome, it is important to have a consultation and evaluation with a clinical genetic specialist. Specialists may also suggest specific genetic testing or other types of tests to help reach a diagnosis. FDNA’s AI technology can help speed up the diagnostic process by analyzing facial features and other health information.