Symptoms may include:
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White, pink, or light brown spots
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Mild itching
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Patches that become more noticeable after sun exposure
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Slightly scaly skin
Tinea versicolor often appears on the chest, back, shoulders, or neck and is especially common in warm, humid climates.
The good news is that it’s usually easy to treat with antifungal creams or medications.
3. Sun Damage and Skin Aging
Excessive sun exposure over many years can also cause white spots known as idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis.
These spots are small, round, and often appear on areas that receive a lot of sunlight, such as:
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Arms
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Legs
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Face
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Upper back
They are more common in adults over 40 and are generally harmless. However, they can sometimes be mistaken for other skin conditions.
Protecting your skin from UV rays with sunscreen can help prevent new spots from forming.
4. Nutritional Deficiencies
Your skin often reflects your overall health. In some cases, vitamin and mineral deficiencies can affect pigmentation.
Deficiencies linked to skin discoloration may include:
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Vitamin B12
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Vitamin D
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Copper
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Calcium
When the body lacks these nutrients, it may disrupt melanin production, leading to lighter patches of skin.
Improving your diet or addressing nutritional deficiencies may help restore normal skin tone over time.
5. Post-Inflammatory Hypopigmentation
Sometimes white spots appear after the skin heals from an injury or irritation.
This is known as post-inflammatory hypopigmentation, and it may follow:
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Burns
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Cuts or wounds
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Allergic reactions
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Skin treatments
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Severe acne
In these cases, the pigment-producing cells temporarily slow down. The color often returns gradually as the skin
