Why is my Forehead Darker than the Rest of my Face?
This week we are covering various reasons why you could be experiencing some discoloration on your body – namely your face and neck. First, there are two questions we must ask, “How long have you had this?” and “Have you noticed that it is worse with sun exposure?” For some, it could worsen with sun exposure or aging and while this is not something you can treat online, we can offer some useful insight as to why this is happening and a good solution to help get you started until you can visit your dermatologist.
It could be a fungal infection called tinea versicolor. This is common among young adults and can become worse with sun exposure, this is why it is absolutely paramount that you use sunscreen year-round to help decrease the likelihood of having sun-damaged skin. If the areas below your forehead are lighter you have to determine if there is any scaliness or itching. The treatment for something like this is called, Lotrimin which is an OTC topical cream that can work in about 4 weeks.
The next possibility is vitiligo, which is an autoimmune disease that destroys the pigment-making cells of the skin. This can be treated with steroids, lasers…but most importantly, you should see your dermatologist to be 100% sure.
Also take into account these three things:
- Hyperpigmentation – Skin with too much melanin
- Hypopigmentation – Skin with too little melanin
- Depigmented – Skin with no melanin
Perhaps some parts of your face are lighter than others because you are experiencing one of the three aforementioned things on some areas of your face and not others. Causes for hyperpigmentation include some skin inflammation, sun exposure to some parts of the face, birthmarks, and certain drugs. On the contrary, causes for hypopigmentation are fungal infections, skin inflammation, and another skin condition called Idiopathic Guttate.
When at home you can try some OTC medications to help smooth out the appearance of your skin. If seeking a dermatologist for advice, Hydroquinone and tretinoin are an effective combination. If you use these creams, follow the instructions carefully and don’t use them for more than 3 weeks at a time unless instructed by your doctor.
Another thing to keep in mind is that some parts of our body will tan differently than others. So if you’ve been working on getting a tan and see that particular parts of your face are lighter than your forehead it could be the areas that you’re leaving more exposed. Some women for religious reasons have to leave their foreheads exposed while covering other parts of their face. If this is you then one solution is a topical treatment to help even out your skin tone.
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Your forehead could also be experiencing some acne scarring, be sure to check out our acne-clearing collections for more solutions. When there is acne scarring it can leave some areas of the face darker than others – this is also known as discoloration. As explained by medical professionals, acne scarring happens when there is an excessive amount of collagen formation around the spot of the wound. This could be a possibility if you find that your skin is getting darker without sun exposure.
Lastly, hormonal imbalances. Skin darkening in some areas and not others could be due to an imbalance of your hormones also known as Melasma. Hormonal changes cause a boost in melanin production, which results in these unwanted dark spots in darkened areas. Overall, be sure to check with your dermatologist for a long-term solution.