Mottled skin often makes people who experience it feel insecure. Although generally the cause of striped skin is not a serious condition, this complaint still needs to be addressed so as not to interfere with appearance.
The skin is the largest organ of the human body and has a very important function. In addition to covering the internal organs of the body, the skin also functions to protect the body from exposure to foreign objects, regulate body temperature, store fat, and receive hot, cold, and touch stimuli.
As the body's outermost organ, the skin is prone to various health problems. One of them is striped skin.
What are the Causes of Mottled Skin?
Striped skin is generally characterized by a striking color difference between one part of the skin to another. This condition can be caused by various things. The following are some of the causes:
1. Melasma
Melasma usually looks like bluish or gray spots on the face and is sometimes brown in color. This skin problem is commonly experienced by women aged 20 years to middle age.
Pregnant women also often experience differences in skin color due to melasma. Melasma can be affected by hormonal changes in a woman's body and exposure to UV rays from the sun.
2. Solar lentiginosis
This condition, commonly referred to as sunspots, is a discoloration of the skin in areas that have been in direct contact with the sun for a long time.
This striped skin condition generally occurs on the backs of the hands, face, shoulders, upper back, and backs of the feet.
They are small brown or black dots that vary in size from the size of a pencil tip to the size of a coin. Skin patches due to this condition often occur in people who are over 50 years old.
3. Vitiligo
Vitiligo occurs due to lack of skin color production or hypopigmentation. This type of skin problem appears in the form of white spots that feel smooth on the surface of the skin.
Spotted skin due to vitiligo is caused by damage to the skin's pigment-producing cells due to autoimmune disorders. So far, no drug has been found that can treat vitiligo.
4. Wounds
The appearance of a darker color on the skin can also be the result of an injury or wound. Injuries to the skin such as blisters, burns, and infections can cause the skin to lose its pigment.
Skin patches caused by wounds are generally not permanent or curable. However, to return to the original skin color takes a long time.
5. Sun exposure
Stripes and dark spots on the skin can also be caused by sun exposure. Basically, the skin does need sunlight to produce vitamin D which is beneficial for bones.
However, it must also be understood that too frequent sun exposure can also cause sunburn and discoloration of the skin.
Sun exposure can trigger the skin to produce more melanin so it becomes darker. In addition, sun exposure also reduces skin elasticity and causes dry, thickened, and wrinkled skin.
6. Other causes
Skin patches due to hyperpigmentation can also be caused by the use of certain drugs, such as minocycline; endocrine diseases, such as Addison's disease; and hemochromatosis conditions or iron overload in the body.
Meanwhile, striped skin due to hypopigmentation can occur due to skin inflammation and fungal infections such as tinea versicolor. In children, striped skin in the form of white, smooth, and dry patches on the face is called Pityriasis alba.
How to Overcome Mottled Skin?
Treatment for skin patches needs to be adjusted according to the cause. Therefore, an immediate examination by a doctor needs to be done to determine the cause of the striped skin you are experiencing.
When the cause is known, the doctor will give drugs, either in the form of topical or oral medications.
To avoid skin spots due to sun exposure, make sure to always wear a sunscreen with sufficient SPF content. The SPF content above 30 is believed to be effective in protecting the skin.
If the striped skin is due to a genetic disorder, counseling actions can be taken so as not to affect the psychology of the sufferer. Although it can not be treated, the use of the right cosmetics can be done to cover it up.
If the skin rash has affected the psychological condition, is difficult to get rid of, the cause is unknown, feels itchy, painful, or numb, check with a doctor so that the right treatment can be done.