Different Causes of Brown Spots and Pigment

There have been many good questions about pigment problems and brown spots in the blog recently. I wish there was a simple answer to these problems, and I know you and millions of other women would like one too.  

 

There are many different causes of pigment on the face, and you must find the cause (your diagnosis) because it’s the only way that treatment will be effective.  So…….. do you have melasma (more hormonal and pregnancy), sun damage spots (lentigines) or blotches, more raised brown growths (seborrheic keratoses), spots that are post acne or after other rashes/irritations??  And then there are some rarer internal causes like adrenal gland problems.  Some women have 2 or 3 of these problems together.  Your dermatologist can help you figure out the cause of your pigment problem.  

 

See Dr. Irwin’s discussion of brown spots in Color and Texture

See Dr. Irwin’s new article on Understanding Wrinkles

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

Ask me your skincare question!

Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

  • All our content is written and researched by myself.
  • My medical office in Seattle has treated thousands of patients for 15+ years.
  • This site is not affiliated or financially tied to any product, treatment or device.
Ask Me Something
SkinTour Skincare
One of the best investments in your skin is your daily skincare. Why? Because you can prevent many problems with blotchy skin color, lack of glow, texture, some types of acne, and fine lines with good skincare products. You can also correct some of these problems with effective skincare products. Great skincare is often more expensive because quality ingredients are expensive. Some companies spend on research/development which benefits all of us and adds to the cost. Are they worth it? In general - yes! I have handpicked some of what I consider to be the best skin care products, and offer them for sale on SkinTour's shop. This is based on my team and I's testing and research at our clinic. Many of the products are in my own regimen. What could be better than using skin care products a dermatologist uses?!