Your skin, hair and eyes get its colour from a pigment called melanin. When the cells responsible for producing melanin are healthy, your skin will appear normal and even however, when they become damaged or unhealthy, it affects melanin production. As a result, parts of your skin may turn:

• Lighter (hypo-pigmentation)
• Darker (hyper-pigmentation)

Sun spots, liver spots, freckles and other unwanted pigment are often associated with variety of reasons including:

• Skin ageing
• Sun damage caused by over exposure to the sun or sun-beds
• Genetics
• Hormonal changes
• Medical conditions and trauma to the skin.

A common cause of hyperpigmentation is an excess production of melanin. Melanin is a pigment that gives skin its colour. And it’s produced by skin cells called melanocytes. Several different conditions or factors can alter the production of melanin in the body.

• Certain medications
• Pregnancy changes hormone levels and can affect melanin production in some women. 
• Excessive sun exposure can also cause an increase in melanin.