Why is your face getting darker?

People's appearance is determined from the moment they are born. Appearance depends on their parents, but it will also change with various situations. Many phenomena can reflect people's physical health. For example, some people's complexion becomes darker and darker, which may be caused by liver problems. Abnormal liver function will cause abnormal hormone metabolism. Let's take a look at what is going on.

Among the four diagnostic methods in traditional Chinese medicine, inspection ranks first. It is believed that a person's physical condition can be seen from his complexion.

1. Dark complexion may be caused by liver disease: It is common in chronic liver disease, especially in patients with cirrhosis. This is mainly because chronic liver disease causes decreased liver function, leading to abnormal liver metabolism of hormones (the liver is the main metabolism and inactivation organ of sex hormones in the body), manifested as reduced inactivation of estrogen and increased estrogen in the body, and then the inhibitory effect of thioamine on tyrosinase is weakened, leading to an increase in the amount of melanin in the body, causing a dark complexion. Medically, these characteristic changes in the face of patients with liver disease are called "liver disease face."

2. A dark face may be caused by kidney disease: When kidney disease occurs, the adrenal cortex function declines, resulting in insufficient synthesis of adrenal cortical hormones. The liver cannot metabolize the melanocyte-stimulating hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland, which promotes increased melanin production and pigmentation, which can cause a dark and dull face.

3. A dark complexion may also be caused by diseases that can lead to low blood oxygen levels or chronic wasting diseases (common ones include pneumonia, heart failure, asthma, cor pulmonale, constipation, abdominal pain, diarrhea, etc.).

In addition, a dark face can also be caused by a series of non-pathological factors, the most common of which are lack of sleep, long-term sun exposure, and long-term use of certain medications (such as arsenic, anticancer drugs, etc.). Therefore, a dark face does not always represent a disease. Don’t be overly anxious when you find that your face is dark. You should make a comprehensive judgment based on other clinical symptoms and signs. If necessary, go to the hospital for relevant examinations in time to make a clear diagnosis.