Repeated sun exposure, cutaneous skin ageing, hormonal diseases, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) or drugs induced photosensitivity, involve the appearance of different types of brown spots :

• • shower every other day

• • keep your bathing time to between five and 10 minutes

• • avoid hot showers

• • use a moisturizing soap

• • avoid scrubbing dry skin patches

• • pat your skin dry with a soft towel

• • use a moisturizer immediately after showering

• • use a humidifier in the home

• • drink plenty of water

• – focal pattern: depigmentation limited to one or only a few areas

• – segmental pattern: depigmented patches that develop on one side of the body only

• – generalized pattern: the most common pattern. Depigmentation occurs symmetrically on both sides of the body.

In addition to white patches on the skin, people with vitiligo may have premature graying of the scalp hair, eyelashes, eyebrows and beard. People with dark skin may notice a loss of color inside their mouths.

Common causes of epidermal dehydration include lifestyle choices, such as smoking, medication or illness; a diet high in salt or stimulants, such as coffee; environmental factors, such as seasonal changes and the artificial indoor environments caused by both heating and air conditioning; or sun damage, which can cause moisture loss and lead to dermal dehydration. Additionally, those with redness-prone or rosacea skin can often experience a higher rate of epidermal dehydration, because the heat present with their condition can encourage TEWL*, especially in the instance of impaired barrier. Although drinking enough water is vitally important to hydrated skin, this alone cannot prevent dehydration. Even if a person drinks the right amount of water, if the skin’s barrier is impaired, the water is likely to be lost through TEWL*.

*TEWL: Transepidermal water loss, is defined as the measurement of the quantity of water that passes from inside a body through the epidermal layer (skin) to the surrounding atmosphere via diffusion and evaporation processes.