The skin is the largest organ of the human body and has a very important function. In addition to covering the organs in 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 outermost organ of the body, the skin is prone to various health problems. One of them is striped skin.
What are the Causes of Striped Skin?
Striped skin is generally characterized by a striking color difference between one part of the skin and another. This condition can be caused by various things. Following are some of the causes:
1. Melasma
Melasma usually looks like bluish or gray spots on the face and sometimes tan. 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, which is commonly referred to as sun spots, is a discolored skin in areas that are often in direct contact with sunlight for a long time.
This striped skin condition generally occurs on the back of the hands, face, shoulders, upper back, and instep.
They are small brown or black spots that range in size from the size of a pencil tip to the size of a coin. Striped skin due to this condition often occurs in people who are over 50 years old.
3. Vitiligo
Vitiligo occurs due to lack of production of skin color or hypopigmentation. This type of skin problem appears in the form of white spots that feel fine on the surface of the skin.
Striped skin due to vitiligo is caused by damage to the skin's pigment-producing cells due to autoimmune disorders. So far there has not been found a drug that can treat vitiligo.
4. Wounds
The appearance of a darker color on the skin can also be caused by an injury or wound. Skin injuries such as abrasions, burns, and infections can cause the skin to lose its pigment.
Striped skin caused by an injury is generally not permanent or can be cured. However, to return to the original skin color takes a long time.
5. Sun exposure
Striped skin and black 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 exposure to sunlight that is too frequent 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, exposure to sunlight also reduces skin elasticity and causes dry, thickened, and wrinkled skin.
6. Other causes
Patchy skin due to hyperpigmentation can also be caused by the use of certain drugs, such as minocycline; endocrine diseases, such as Addison's disease; and the condition of hemochromatosis or excess iron in the body.
Meanwhile, patchy skin due to hypopigmentation can occur due to skin inflammation and fungal infections such as tinea versicolor. In children, patchy skin in the form of white, smooth, and dry patches on the face is called Pityriasis alba.
How to Overcome Striped Skin?
Treatment to deal with striped skin needs to be adjusted to the cause. Therefore, a direct examination by a doctor needs to be done to determine the cause of the stripes you are experiencing.
If the cause is known, the doctor will give medication, either in the form of topical medication or oral medication.
To avoid striped skin due to sun exposure, make sure to always wear sunscreen with sufficient SPF content. SPF content above 30 is believed to be effective in protecting the skin.
If the skin patches are caused by a genetic disorder, counseling can be done so that it does not affect the psychology of the sufferer. Even though it can't be treated, the right cosmetic use can be done to cover it up.
If the complaint of patches on the skin has affected the psychological condition, is difficult to remove, has no known cause, feels itchy, painful, or numb, check with your doctor so that proper treatment can be carried out.
