How to get rid of Black Neck

Jun 4, 2018

min read

The skin is the first line of defense. It does not only shield the body from disease, but it also acts as the body’s natural accessory.A healthy fair skin is something that many people want to achieve. One of the problematic areas of the skin is the neck.Many people want to have a smooth and fair skin on their neck, but unfortunately, not all of them are blessed to have one. As a matter of fact, a lot of people suffer from dark/black neck. The cause of darkening of the neck varies from one person to another.Some are caused by excessive exposure to the heat of the sun while others can be caused by an underlying medical condition. (1, 2, 3)

A severely dark-black neck, which is not pleasing to the eyes image photo picture

Image 1: A severely dark/black neck, which is not pleasing to the eyes.Picture Source: i.ytimg.com

A dark discoloration of the neck can be a manifestation of an underlying medical condition such as diabetes photo picture image

Picture 2: A dark discoloration of the neck can be a manifestation of an underlying medical condition such as diabetes.Photo Source: i.ytimg.com

Causes

Poor hygiene

A dark need is sometimes accumulated dirt, especially if you are the type of a person who does not keen to cleaning the neck on a day to day basis. (1, 2)

Sun exposure

An exposure to extreme heat of the sun can make the skin dark. Some people do it on a purpose, but there’s something odd if the tanning is not achieve all over the body. If the only dark spot in your skin is your neck, then that can be surely unsightly.

Medical conditions

The condition of the skin reflects what’s happening inside the body. A black or dark neck can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. Some of them are the following:

Acanthosis nigricans – It is the darkening and thickening of the skin on the neck secondary to obesity and diabetes. It can also be linked to a severe medical condition like stomach and/or liver cancer.
Dermatitis neglecta – It is caused by build-up of sweat, bacteria, oil, and dead skin cells. If you are the type of person who does not take a bath every day or care to scrub your neck on a daily basis, there is a high possibility of having dermatitis nelgecta.
Dyskeratosis congenital/ Zinsser-Engman-Cole syndrome – It is the hyperpigmentation of the skin in the neck area making the neck looking dark and dirty. Aside from brownish discoloration the neck, other symptoms include sparse eyelashes, white patches in the mouth, and ridging of the fingernails.
Lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP) – It is an inflammatory response that leads to scarring on different parts of the body including the neck.
Tinea versicolor – It is a fungal infection caused by excessive growth of yeast in the neck and other parts of the body such as the chest, arms, and back.

Erythema dyschromicum perstans

A grey, black, or dark blue irregularly-shaped patches are found on the neck, upper arms, and torso. It is not associated with any medical condition. (3, 4, 5, 6)

Diagnosis of underlying medical conditions

To accurately diagnose the underlying root cause of darkening or blackening of the patient’s neck, a thorough physical examination needs to be done. If necessary, a skin sample is taken for further analysis.The patient’s past medical history and surgical history should be taken into considerations too. Lifestyle such as prolonged exposure to the sun, diet, and vices are also taken into consideration.Other tests that will help determine the underlying cause include the following:

Blood test – This is to check the hormone and blood sugar level of the patient.
Skin sample – This is to check the presence of any harmful microorganisms in the skin. (1, 3, 4)

Photo 3: A before and after treatment of dark/black neck.Image Source: i.ytimg.com

Dark Neck Treatment

To get rid of a black or dark neck, the root cause should be determined first. If it is caused by a fungal infection, it should be treated using anti-fungal agents in the form of ointments or creams.It is applied to the skin and would take several days to weeks for you to see a significant improvement. If it is an acanthosis nigricans, you can try to lighten the skin using skin-lightening creams and scrubs. However, if you want it to be gone forever, then you need to address the underlying cause.You should keep your blood sugar level under control. You also need to manage your weight. Obesity and high blood sugar are the two underlying causes for acanthosis nigricans.If it is just caused by poor hygiene and dirt build-up, you can somehow lighten the skin by taking a bath every day and scrubbing the neck area with soap and clean water. It is best to use hot water to thoroughly get rid of the accumulated dirt and stubborn debris.Just make sure you rinse it with cold water to make sure that the skin pores are close. (5, 6, 7, and 8)