2023-06-27 16:36:49
“The dark discoloration is largely due to the combination of hormones and exposure to sunlight,” explains Jan Gutermuthhead of the dermatology department at UZ Brussel.
“It mainly occurs in women: one in ten could suffer from it. For men, it is one in forty. Especially women between the ages of twenty and mid-forties are affected by the ‘sun mustache’.”
“Hormones have a lot of influence on the cells that produce pigment,” says Gutermuth. “For example, twenty percent of pregnant women have signs of melasma, which is why it is sometimes called the “pregnancy mask”. The phenomenon can also occur after someone has started contraception, because then you take in the hormones that you produce during pregnancy .”
“Sun terrace”
“We have cells in the skin that are tasked with producing pigment,” Gutermuth continues. “With certain hormones, those cells become too active and hypersensitive to sunlight. When exposed to it, they do more than they should; they produce too much pigment at that time. Sunlight is therefore a major trigger, which causes the discoloration gets even more intense.”
That makes the upper lip the ideal target. “The skin above the upper lip is the “sun terrace” of your face: it is a place that receives a lot of sunlight, and where sunscreen is easily wiped off. But it can also occur on other parts of the face or body.”
Dangerous?
According to Gutermuth, a “sun mustache” is not dangerous or harmful. “It doesn’t increase the risk of skin cancer, so you don’t have to be afraid. Although a lot of people find it annoying, because it makes them feel mentally bad. Most feel good when their skin is completely smooth, so they don’t have any have spots on their bodies. That’s because we associate smooth skin with beauty and health.”
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