Dark Spots on Skin
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with Physician-supervised AI

Reviewed By:

Yukiko Ueda

Yukiko Ueda, MD (Dermatology)

Dr. Ueda graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine and trained at the University of Tokyo Medical School. She is currently a clinical assistant professor at the Department of Dermatology, Jichi Medical University, and holds several posts in the dermatology departments at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Komagome Hospital, University of Tokyo, and the Medical Center of Japan Red Cross Society.

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People with these symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes

  • There is blackened skin on the base of the foot

  • There is darkened skin on the sole of the foot

  • There is darkened skin on the back of the hand

  • There is blackened skin on the epigastric area

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Content updated on Jan 4, 2023

About the symptom

Dark spots on the skin, or hyperpigmentation, occur when some areas of the skin produce more melanin than usual. Melanin gives the eyes, skin, and hair their color.

When to see a doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

  • Facial edema

  • Edema

  • Infertility

  • Abnormal menstruation

  • Headache

  • Unexplained weight loss of 5% or more in 1 month

  • Recent weight loss

  • Easy fatiguability

Possible causes

  • Atopic dermatitis

    Allergic rashes. Risk factors include genetics, other allergic diseases, new skin products, and allergic foods. Childhood eczema cases can resolve by adulthood, but it can also occur in adults.

  • Diabetes mellitus (DM)

    A disease where blood sugar levels are abnormally high due to issues with insulin production or resistance. Often, there are no symptoms until the condition worsens, so regular screening is important.

  • Acanthosis nigricans

    A skin condition characterized by dark patches on the skin with a thick, velvety texture, usually seen in the neck, armpits, or groin region. It's typically seen in people with high insulin levels, ovarian cysts, thyroid or adrenal gland problems, certain drugs like birth control pills or steroids, cancer, etc.

  • Warts
  • Acromegaly
  • Asteatotic eczema
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Cushing syndrome
  • Friction melanosis

Related serious diseases

  • Venous embolism

    Venous embolism is a condition where a venous clot travels from one location to another. Most commonly, this happens when a deep venous thrombosis (clot) develops in the larger veins of the leg, breaks off, and travels to the lungs (the clot is now called a pulmonary embolism). Causes of venous thrombosis include recent surgery, spinal cord injury or other reasons for immobility, hip or leg fractures or other trauma, cancers, heart failure, stroke, obesity, and inherited risk factors like gene mutations causing blood to clot more easily.

Questions your doctor may ask about this symptom

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom

  • Do you have skin darkening?

  • Do you have itchy skin?

  • Do you have any pain or tingling in the affected areas of the skin?

  • Do you have a fever?

Other Related Symptoms

Similar symptoms or complaints

Reviewed By:

Yukiko Ueda

Yukiko Ueda, MD (Dermatology)

Dr. Ueda graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine and trained at the University of Tokyo Medical School. She is currently a clinical assistant professor at the Department of Dermatology, Jichi Medical University, and holds several posts in the dermatology departments at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Komagome Hospital, University of Tokyo, and the Medical Center of Japan Red Cross Society.

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