What is hypopigmentation?

Hypopigmentation refers to a decrease in melanin production, leading to lighter patches of skin. This occurs when the melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing melanin (the pigment that gives skin its color), become less active or are damaged. As a result, the affected areas of the skin appear lighter than the surrounding skin.

Conditions that may lead to hypopigmentation include vitiligo, which is an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks its own melanocytes, and albinism, a genetic condition characterized by little or no melanin production. Other factors that can contribute to hypopigmentation are certain skin injuries, infections, or inflammatory skin conditions that disrupt normal melanin production.

In contrast, excess pigmentation would lead to hyperpigmentation, which is not relevant to the definition of hypopigmentation. Conditions caused by infections or due to sun exposure describe different mechanisms that do not focus specifically on the reduction of melanin levels. Thus, the accurate representation of hypopigmentation is indeed a condition where melanin production decreases, resulting in lighter skin areas.