Hyperpigmentation On The Back, Shoulders And Upper Arms: Dr Jaishree Sharad Outlines The Causes And Treatments

Skin health is a sensitive issue for many as even a common rash can be very annoying. We often see people taking a lot of care to make their skin smooth and soft. Applying cosmetic products is one way to do so. At times, our skin develops dark patches on the upper back or upper arms areas that make us feel very uncomfortable. Dermatologist Dr Jaishree Sharad says this skin condition can be a result of macular amyloidosis, which is characterised by hyperpigmentation patches in the skin. These patches occur due to accumulation of abnormal proteins on the skin known as amyloids.

Dr Jaishree Sharad said these patches could be very itchy, especially when the person is stressed. In an Instagram post, she outlined the causes and treatment for the skin condition.

Causes:

-- Persistent friction due to rubbing with a loofah or scratching.

-- Genetic predisposition.

-- Chronic exposure to UV rays.

Treatment:

-- Avoid mechanical stressors such as friction, rubbing, or using loofahs, pumice stone and back scratching combs.

-- Do not forget to use sunscreen on exposed parts of the back.

-- Moisturise twice a day.

Medications:

-- You can use topical corticosteroids, tacrolimus or pimecrolimus, if prescribed by dermatologists.

-- TCA, retinol and phenol peels may be done to reduce pigments. Trichloroacetic (TCA) peels are a type of chemical peel used to treat a wide range of skin conditions.

Other local medications:

Topical calcineurin inhibitors (tacrolimus and pimecrolimus) Intralesional corticosteroids.

Watch the video by Dr Jaishree Sharad below: