Your Health Custom Skin Color Skin Discoloration Skin gets its color from a pigment in skin cells, called melanin. Pigmentation abnormalities can be divided into two main categories.
Hyperpigmentation is an increase in skin pigmentation.
Hypopigmentation is used to describe areas of decreased skin color. Vitiligo is a common example, affecting up to two percent of Americans. The loss of pigment in affected areas causes the appearance of white spots, commonly on the face, hands, arms, and legs. While most pigmentary conditions are harmless, they are sometimes an indication of an underlying medical problem and should be checked by a physician. Most people with skin pigmentation problems try to cover the affected areas with make-up.