Many different conditions can cause discolored skin patches. Here is a list of 18 possible causes.
Warning: Graphic images ahead.
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Table of Contents
Radiation therapy
- Only occurs in people being treated with radiation
- Blistering, dryness, itching, and peeling of the skin
- Hair loss at the site of treatment
Read full article on radiation therapy.
Sunburn
- Superficial burn on the outermost layer of skin
- Redness, pain, and swelling
- Dry, peeling skin
- More severe, blistering burns may occur after extended periods of sun exposure
Read full article on sunburns.
Candida
- Usually occurs in skin folds (armpits, buttocks, under breasts, between fingers and toes)
- Begins with itching, stinging, and burning red rash with wet appearance and dry crusting at the edges
- Progresses to cracked and sore skin with blisters and pustules that may become infected with bacteria
Read full article on candida.
Rosacea
- Chronic skin disease that goes through cycles of fading and relapse
- Relapses may be triggered by spicy foods, alcoholic beverages, sunlight, stress, and the intestinal bacteria Helicobacter pylori
- There are four subtypes of rosacea encompassing a wide variety of symptoms
- Common symptoms include facial flushing, raised, red bumps, facial redness, skin dryness, and skin sensitivity
Read full article on rosacea.
Burns
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
- Burn severity is classified by both depth and size
- First-degree burns: minor swelling and dry, red, tender skin that turns white when pressure is applied
- Second-degree burns: very painful, clear, weeping blisters and skin that appears red or has variable, patchy coloration
- Third-degree burns: white or dark brown/tan in color, with leathery appearance and low or no sensitivity to touch
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Tinea versicolor
- Slow-growing white, tan, brown, pink, or red spots on the skin that may be lighter or darker than your normal skin color
- Dry, flaky, and mildly itchy skin
- Skin areas that don’t tan
- Spots may disappear in cold weather and reappear in the spring and summer
Read full article on tinea versicolor.
Contact dermatitis
- Appears hours to days after contact with an allergen
- Rash has visible borders and appears where your skin touched the irritating substance
- Skin is itchy, red, scaly, or raw
- Blisters that weep, ooze, or become crusty
Read full article on contact dermatitis.
Strawberry nevus
- Red or purplish raised mark commonly located on the face, scalp, back, or chest
- Appears at birth or in very young children
- Gradually gets smaller or disappears as the child ages
Read full article on strawberry nevus.
Eczema
- Yellow or white scaly patches that flake off
- Affected areas may be red, itchy, greasy, or oily
- Hair loss may occur in the area with the rash
Read full article on eczema.
Bleeding into the skin
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
- Occurs when a blood vessel bursts or leaks under the skin
- Bleeding into the skin can appear as small dots, called petechiae, or in larger, flat patches, called purpura
- The most common cause of bleeding under the skin is injury, but it may also be caused by more serious illness
- Always see a doctor about bleeding into the skin that isn’t related to a known injury, or if bleeding is causing excessive swelling or pain
Read full article on bleeding into the skin.
Vitiligo
- Loss of pigment in the skin due to autoimmune destruction of the cells that give skin its color
- Focal pattern: loss of skin color in only a few small areas that may merge together
- Segmental pattern: depigmentation on one side of the body
- Premature graying of scalp and/or facial hair
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Read full article on vitiligo.
Stasis ulcer
- Symptom of advanced stasis dermatitis
- Develop in areas of the body that have poor blood flow, most commonly in the feet and lower legs
- Painful, irregularly shaped, shallow wounds with crusting and weeping
- Poor healing
Read full article on stasis ulcer.
Basal cell carcinoma
- Raised, firm, and pale areas that may resemble a scar
- Dome-like, pink or red, shiny, and pearly areas that may have a sunk-in center, like a crater
- Visible blood vessels on the growth
- Easy bleeding or oozing wound that doesn’t seem to heal, or heals and then reappears
Read full article on basal cell carcinoma.
Actinic keratosis
- Typically less than 2 cm, or about the size of a pencil eraser
- Thick, scaly, or crusty skin patch
- Appears on parts of the body that receive a lot of sun exposure (hands, arms, face, scalp, and neck)
- Usually pink in color but can have a brown, tan, or gray base
Read full article on actinic keratosis.
Squamous cell carcinoma
- Often occurs in areas exposed to UV radiation, such as the face, ears, and back of the hands
- Scaly, reddish patch of skin progresses to a raised bump that continues to grow
- Growth that bleeds easily and doesn’t heal, or heals and then reappears
Read full article on squamous cell carcinoma.
Melanoma
- The most serious form of skin cancer, more common in fair-skinned people
- Mole anywhere on the body that has irregularly shaped edges, asymmetrical shape, and multiple colors
- Mole that has changed color or gotten bigger over time
- Usually larger than a pencil eraser
Read full article on melanoma.
Melasma
- Common skin condition that causes dark patches to appear on the face and, rarely, the neck, chest, or arms
- More common in pregnant women (chloasma) and individuals with darker skin color and heavy sun exposure
- No other symptoms beyond skin discoloration
- May go away on its own within a year or may become permanent
Read full article on melasma.
Mongolian blue spots
- Harmless skin condition seen at birth (birthmark)
- Most common in Asian neonates
- Large, flat, gray or blue patches with irregular edges seen on the back and buttock
- Usually fade away by adolescence
Read full article on mongolian blue spots.
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