Skin pigmentation can take many forms, and the condition points to an imbalance in the skin cells that produce melanin. This article looks at the condition. You may have noticed it in somebody else, or maybe in yourself – a discoloured patch of skin on the face or body, either darker than the rest of the skin or lighter. There are some whose entire body is covered in white skin, accompanied by light hair and eyes. In others, there are prominent spots or skin lesions. All of these conditions point to different types of skin pigmentation. What is it? Skin pigmentation is a general term used to describe a change in the skin’s cellular composition that brings about discolouration of the skin. The skin gets its colour from melanin, a pigment present in the dermis. It is produced by melanocytes, which are special cells present in the upper layer of the skin called the epidermis. When melanin is produced, it quickly starts spreading across the skin – thus, your skin is uni...