Pigmentation means coloring. Skin pigmentation disorders can affect the color of your skin. Your skin gets its color from a pigment known as melanin. Special cells in the skin make melanin. When these cells become either damaged or unhealthy, it affects melanin production. Some pigmentation disorders affect just patches of skin. Others affect your entire body.
If your body makes too much melanin, you skin can get a bit darker. Pregnancy, Addison’s disease and sun exposure all can make your skin a bit darker. If your body makes too little, your skin gets lighter. Vitiligo is a condition that causes patches of light skin. Albinism is a genetic condition affecting a person’s skin.
A person with albinism may have no color, lighter than normal skin color, or patchy missing skin color. Infections, blisters and burns can also cause lighter skin.
