Symptoms

• The symptoms are only cosmetic; the darkening of the skin. There is no related feeling of illness or soreness of the skin.
  
  

Causes

• According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the darkening of the skin is commonly caused by a change in hormones which is normally found in women who are on birth control or are pregnant.
  
  

Duration

• Intelihealth.com states that after a person stops taking hormonal medication, the discoloration should fade over time. However, in some cases the darkening never fully goes away.
  
  

Treatments

• Some creams that Intellihealth.com suggests include Hydroquinone--a cream that takes pigment out of the skin, Tretinoin--a type of vitamin A, and Azelaic acid--a cream that slows down the production of pigment. Chemical peels, microdermabrasion, or laser surgery are additional methods of treatment.
  
  

Preventative actions

• Sun exposure can worsen this condition. Wearing sunscreen and limiting sun exposure can help to lessen the discoloration.