Therapy
Since pigment changes on the skin have no disease value, there is no need for treatment to remove the skin areas. However, if the examination of the skin reveals that there is a certain suspicion of melanoma, the pigment disorder is usually removed. This is done completely painlessly under a local anesthetic.
If there is so-called depigmentation, i.e. too few melanin-producing melanocytes are present, it is advisable to apply UV protection daily. Since melanin normally protects the deeper structures from UV radiation, this preventive measure is important for those affected. Although pigment disorders are usually harmless and no therapy is necessary, many people find the skin changes unpleasant for cosmetic reasons.
In such cases, cosmetics and creams as well as self-tanning products can help. By irradiating the affected skin, the doctor treating the patient can also make the pigmentation appear somewhat darker if depigmentation is present. It is also possible to subject the skin to a so-called laser therapy. The high-energy laser destroys the pigments in the skin and can then be broken down by the body’s own cells. This is the most effective therapy for pigment disorders, but should be carefully considered with the treating physician due to the side effects.
Prognosis
The development of skin pigmentation disorders varies significantly depending on the appearance of the skin. In many cases, exposure of the skin to UV radiation is considered to be the cause of the change, which is why exposure to sunlight should always be carried out with a UV blocker in affected persons. In other cases, a genetic component is the cause of the change, which is why a change in symptoms cannot be observed (example: albinism). Freckles are strongly dependent on light intensity, which is why they are sometimes more and sometimes less visible depending on exposure.
