I've noticed lately that I'm getting dark spots on various parts of my body. They are slightly darker than my complexion, and they seem to be appearing overnight. I don't have smooth skin (thanks PCOS), but these "spots" are just making me more and more frustrated. No one notices them but me, but my husband sees them when I point them out. They are different sizes with no distinct shape. Also, over the years, I've been getting black moles on my face. They aren't raised, and they don'thurt, but they are there! Recently, I got dark patches under my pits, and I read it has something to do with insulin. They have since gotten much lighter, but my lips (specifically the bottom) have gotten dark. My last fasting blood glucose level was in the 80's (April), so I'm confused. Does anyone have insight about this?
It could be acanth. nigricans (darkening of the skin pigment, especially around the back of the neck, base of the breastbone, elbows, armpits) due to insulin resistance. Treating the IR should help this to eventually fade, I'm told.
The moles, however, may be indicative of something else entirely -- any time you have unusual skin changes it is a good idea to go to a dermatologist, just to get checked out. Your primary dr can sometimes also help, but moles specifically should generally be screened by a dermo.
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Dx'd PCOS in December 2007
Met 1000 (1500 was making me woozy)
Met first weight loss goal on 2/8/08!
Second Weight loss goal:
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The darkening of the skin is a symptom of PCOS. It is due to your testosterone levels becoming elevated. Basically your levels are making PCOS worse. If you look at most men, there skin is slightly darker in the pits. If you can control your IR, you can lose the darkening. The one area that it is hardest to lose the darkening skin is in your upper thigh area.
__________________ Georgette(32)
Diagnosed 2/07 Mom of Caitlyn(9) Tristan(7) and Heather(6)
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Darkening of the skin in the armpits, below the breasts, on the back of the neck, and in the groin area is knows as acanthosis nigricans.
It is a result of elevated insulin levels in the body. Your body produces so much insulin in an attempt to process the sugars in your body that is affects the skin by causing discoloration and sometimes thickened ridges.
Mine were quite light when I was younger and have darkened over the years. It can completely go away with balanced insulin levels, which usually means limiting simple carbohydrates and weightloss in those that are overweight.
Mine faded drastically when I low-carbed for three months and lost 30 pounds. Others have mentioned that metformin has helped fade theirs as it too helps with insulin levels.
ive got black knees - but i also have the dark flat spot type things as well. Could you ask your dr about them?? mine said they were a kind of mole. I have them on my arm, and my shoulder
eva
Thanks. My armpits have lightened since I've been eating better and walking. I guess I'll have to do more because I certainly don't want my symptoms to worsen.
I've had the dark lines along the lines/folds of my neck, armpits, and thighs since I was entering elementary school - I remember my parents trying to rub them off. I'm nineteen now, recently diagnosed, and still have them. They never faded with weight loss/diet in the past.
Is there anything very particular I can do to minimize or get rid of them? I'm on spironolactone and orthotricyclen-lo.
I also have the dark skin. Of all places, it has shown up on my upper lip and makes it appear that I have a perpetual mustache, even when there is no hair there. In the summer it gets worse, so I have to constantly wear sunscreen (which I should do anyway of course).
I also have dark spots around my eyes that have popped up in the last couple of years.
The first time the acanth.nigr. showed up on the back of my neck I completely freaked out. I thought my neck was dirty and I couldn't clean it off. I scrubbed until, literally, I had a scab there. Then I did a google search and found out what it was. Believe it or not, that's what finally made me go to the doctor. I also have it now on my breastbone/under my breasts, groin area, armpits, elbows, knees. I also tried scar removing cream but that didn't work either. Weight loss has made them lighter.
I had the dark spots on my thighs for years, and I had no idea that was abnormal.
I thought everyone had that. Had I known, I might have addressed the insulin thing earlier. What really started to get me going was that I found out I was allergic to Febreeze, and the clothes I had washed in Tide/Febreeze had given me a rash and I went to the doctor and later, a dermatologist. The doctor told me it was AN (underneath my armpits) and the dermatologist confirmed it, but I never asked about my thighs!
So, I found out I was allergic to Febreeze and also that I had this -- I got a lotion, prescription and very expensive, that's supposed to treat it, and make it lighter.
It does go away if you treat the IR. But I've never seen the ones in my thighs go away with either weight loss or a healthier diet.
__________________ Me: 31 Dx:1995, but only now really dealing with it.
I've noticed this, too. I have it in the groin area and also the armpits. Also, it has made that area far more sensitive to the sun. If I suntan, that area near my armpits will get much, much darker than the rest of my body, and have had to put a much higher SPF on that area just to try to even it out.
Does anyone else have a darker vertical line on their stomach from below their belly button down to their groin? I know a lot of women get it with pregnancy, but I've never been pregnant and have had it since childhood.
__________________ Heather (31) DH (37) Married December 2007
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I've had it since my teens. All my AN went away over the years, except that under my arms, which was the worst. I started Cinnamon a while back and suddenly it lightened. It's almost gone! I didn't think after years of low carbing and Met that I could see an improvement beyond what I had seen. However, the cinnamon was great to improve the AN.
AN first showed up on me when I was 14. Me not knowing any better, I tried scrubbing it off until the skin was raw. The rest of my high school years were spent trying to hide the dark skin with turtlenecks and long hair. I also used to be too embarrassed to wear sleeveless shirts because of my underarms. When I first asked a doctor about it he said that it was just thickened skin due to hormones and my ethnic background. I've got it all over my body: neck, underarms, upper thighs, breastbone, and even a "belt" around my waist. I HATE it and hope it'll eventually go away once I make some progress with weight loss and Met.
Dark spots on body 
but i also have the dark flat spot type things as well. Could you ask your dr about them?? mine said they were a kind of mole. I have them on my arm, and my shoulder
