Dark brown patches on the skin are nothing to worry about, with a little care you can prevent them, and if you are really particular, you can even get them removed.
Age spots and liver spots: As we age, there is a tendency to get dark spots on the skin when exposed to sunlight. These dark spots are nothing to worry about as they are usually harmless.
Bruising: Any kind of bruising leads to dark brown patches when the skin heals. These are usually nothing to worry about. If the area is extremely painful or develops an infection, it is essential to get medical help.
Incontinentia pigmenti: This is a hereditary disease that occurs at birth, more in girls. It first appears as a blister, but as the child gets a bit older, it turns into a brown patch (hyperpigmentation). These patches usually go away on their own as the child gets older. This condition is accompanied by other symptoms such as hair loss, slower development, seizures, and other nerve related problems.
Cancer: Actinic keratosis is a type or red or brownish patch that appears on parts of the skin that are exposed to the sun for longer periods of time. Generally this condition is not painful, but should not be ignored. If left untreated, it may lead to what is known as squamous cell cancer.
Neurofibromatosis: Neurofibromatosis is a genetic problem that promotes the growth of tumors in the nervous system. This genetic condition exists from birth, but is apparent when the child turns about 10 years old. In type I neurofibromatosis, there are small brown spots on the skin. This condition is accompanied by other symptoms such as tumors in the eye, larger than normal head, and abnormalities in the development of the spine.
Stasis dermatitis: Stasis dermatitis is a condition in which blood collects as pools in some areas of the body such as the legs and ankles. This is usually apparent as brown staining in those areas. Other symptoms associated with this are a dull ache or a heavy feeling in the legs and skin thinning. If these patches are scratched, they could also result in bleeding.
Pigmentation of skin: Hyper pigmentation is a condition in which the skin produces excess melanin, resulting in dark patches on the skin. These are totally harmless, but may get worse with more exposure to sunlight, resulting in dark brown patches on the skin.
Diabetes: Brown skin patches are common in diabetes . This condition is due to changes in the minor blood vessels. The condition is also known as shin spots as the spots occur in the shin area, and is medically termed as diabetic dermopathy. The good news is that this does not need any medication and will usually go away on its own. Controlling diabetes is also one of the best ways of preventing these from occurring.
Tips and home remedies in the treatment of brown patches of skin
Most of the time, brown patches on the skin are because of too much sun. Here are some tips to help treat and prevent brown patches on the skin because of sunlight.
n even get them removed.
If the brown patches on the skin do not go away, change color or change in size, it is necessary to check with a doctor as they may be a symptom of some other condition.