I have dark areas of skin on my neck, near my arm pits, and between my legs (looks like dirt). How can I get rid of these areas and prevent them from coming back?

im so glad im not alone ive had a dark spot that looks like dirt between my breast for two years now and i need help to get rid of it.

can we do laser treatment?

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I too have the same issue and i just went to da doctor he said it is a hereditary problem .. with sugar in our bodies which leads us to gain weight. He told stop eating dairy products instead use soy products and did a special blood test and will be giving me a special medicine i will lose up to 50 lbs in 2 months. Lets see how it works then i will tell you guys about it..................... by kamal

THE REAL ANSWER IS: ACANTHOSIS NIGRICANS AKA Too much insulin (sugar) in your body. Only real solution is to healthy up and ONLY then if it doesn't completely clear up you can resort to bleaching creams. Go to the Indians for that.

yes dis is obviously not bcos of diabetes people.some people just got it somehow.n im one of them.this is so embarassing.u cant wear shorts,mini skirts n sleeveless tops unlike d rest of ur friends without this problem.i've tried many fading cream but this doesnt help at all.i agree wit some of u saying dat dis is because of d skin rubbing against each other. i heard dere's a product in philipines that can cure this discolouration.im a shame n envy others who doesnt have this prob.:( sum1 pls invent a solution!!!help..help..help..

yes indeed its veri embarassing. we r shy to use mini skirts shorts let alone sleeveless. n its aching wen we c others get to wear it. any solution ppl? n im hapi n glad to noe thta im not d onli one suffering from dis"discolouration".someone pls cum up with a solution.i've tried so many fading creams but it doesnt help.scrubing=waste of effort+time..im frm sg

Usually skin discoloration is an early sign of diabetes. Exercising, living an active life, and eating healthy can prevent and even reverse the process. One company that specializes in this is Belin Sport and Fitness, BSandF.net. Here are the facts... Early Warning Acanthosis nigricans (AN), a distinctive skin condition that affects Americans of color, can help nurses identify young people at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes--and prevent the future onset of this serious disease. A growing number of youth in America are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). In fact, it is estimated that one in three children born in the year 2000 will develop this disease. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), all population groups are at risk for diabetes, but it is more common in Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders. These are the same ethnic groups that develop a dermatological disease called acanthosis nigricans (AN). This is an important correlation, as AN is often a precursor to a diagnosable level of type 2 diabetes. Individuals can easily be screened for AN, and treatment interventions for AN are also the interventions that can prevent type 2 diabetes from manifesting altogether. Therefore, nurses and other health care professionals need to have a thorough awareness of how to identify this early indicator, who is at risk for it, its correlation with type 2 diabetes and the treatments and preventive measures for AN. Acanthosis nigricans is the physical manifestation of hyperinsulinemia, or insulin resistance, in body cells.1 AN will reveal itself as dark, thick skin in areas that might be rubbed from clothing, such as the abdomen, or in skin fold regions--e.g., the groin, neck, armpits or knuckles.2For this reason, AN is also known as “black neck syndrome” in reference to the highly visible neck discoloration, which is the reaction of the epidermis to increased levels of insulin in the blood system. The body produces insulin in order to store glucose. Cells can become resistant to the insulin hormone, especially in people who do not exercise and who have a family history of insulin resistance. This leaves the insulin locked out of cells. Beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin begin to tire out and fail. Glucose in the bloodstream begins to increase, which leads to NIDDM. If the beta cells stop making insulin altogether, the individual could be dependent on insulin shots for the rest of his or her life. Children will begin to show signs of AN around the age of 11.3 Most adults with AN recall it first appearing between the ages of 10 and 12. The condition is found equally in males and females.4The primary races affected by AN as a marker for type 2 diabetes are Native Americans, African Americans and Hispanics. Pacific Islanders have not been cited in the literature as having AN, but one would assume them to be at risk based on the high rate of insulin resistance in this population group.5 AN can also be seen in Caucasians, though is substantially less common. Finding Insulin Resistance Faster Until recently, type 2 diabetes was thought to affect people age 40 and over. Today, type 2 diabetes in youth is on the rise, especially in ethnic minority populations. For example, the ADA reports that almost one in every two Hispanics born in the year 2000 is expected to develop the disease. This is quite alarming, as type 2 diabetes is one of the most expensive chronic illnesses in the U.S. Luckily, AN is an early marker for the susceptibility to NIDDM. A dermatologist in Chicago states that children come in daily with AN; it is the discolored skin that brings them in.6 This highly visible “black neck” manifestation of AN is a perfect opportunity to educate these children and their families about lifestyle factors that contribute to type 2 diabetes. It is the first, early signal that the child is insulin resistant and is at risk for the cascade of detrimental effects of diabetes. AN does not mean that the individual has diabetes, although it does indicate that further testing should be done. In the last 20 years, obesity among the general population has tripled, the ADA notes. (Obesity is defined as a body mass index, or BMI, of 30 or greater.) Obesity plays a major factor in insulin resistance. Ninety-two percent of children diagnosed as having NIDDM are obese.2 In fact, there has been such an increase in children with a BMI greater than 30 that this generation is being dubbed Generation O. However, as a single predictor of type 2 diabetes, AN is found to be much more reliable than obesity alone.1 Researchers have found there is a five times greater risk of having high fasting insulin levels in individuals with AN versus individuals who are obese without AN.7 Before the correlation between AN and type 2 diabetes was discovered, diabetes in youth was diagnosed by chance when routine urine or blood tests were performed. AN occurs before other signs and symptoms of diabetes appear. There is a typically a seven year lapse between the beginning development of diabetes in the body and the actual diagnosis of NIDDM.2 It is important that health care providers be trained to recognize the signs of AN so that children with this dermatological marker can be tested for hyperglycemia. Screening for AN is non-threatening and non-invasive. Once AN is diagnosed, preventive measures for NIDDM can be initiated. Screening for AN by a trained professional can be done at schools or at clinics. Typically the neck area is screened, because it has been demonstrated as showing the most consistent staging area for AN. Screening the armpits can be effective in patients with normal to below-normal weight. To help predict obesity, height, weight, hip and waist measurements can be taken along with the topical screening for AN. Researchers grade AN into stages, but simply the appearance of AN, in any stage, indicates hyperinsulinemia and will respond to treatment. Diet and lifestyle changes alone can reduce the physical presence of AN. The dark, thickened skin will gradually disappear as insulin resistance decreases. Treating Diabetes Before It Happens It is especially important that young people from the high-risk minority populations mentioned earlier be screened for AN. Screening in youth can help at-risk individuals prevent the development of type 2 diabetes later in life. Experts recommend that children be screened every two years beginning at age nine, to ensure that hyperinsulinemia is caught early and healthy lifestyle habits can be implemented successfully.6 Communities can be educated to alert friends and family to be properly screened if they notice the signs of AN on each other. Education for patients diagnosed with AN should include two points: 1. Lifestyle and diet changes will decrease the discoloration on their skin. 2. All systems in their bodies will benefit from these changes. Increasing patients’ exercise will allow insulin into their cells and will also help glucose get out of their blood system and into their cells. This will help all of their organs operate more efficiently. Peripheral blood flow will be improved, including blood flow to the eyes. Most notably, diabetic retinopathy, which can cause blindness and sets in during early stages of NIDDM, will be improved.2 Treatment begins when the patient switches to a wholesome, well-balanced diet and starts an exercise program. Many sources, including the American Diabetes Association, recommend decreasing weight by 5-7% and exercising two-and-a-half hours a week--e.g., walking briskly. These measures can reduce an individual’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 50%. In conjunction with exercise and diet, in some cases oral diabetic medications may be prescribed for patients with AN. These drugs, which decrease glucose production from the liver and do not increase insulin production, include Metformin®, Actos® and Avandia®. Metformin has the added effect of metabolizing fats, which helps with weight reduction.8 Blood glucose levels should be monitored and the AN discoloration should be evaluated throughout treatment. Adopting a healthy lifestyle will greatly enhance the individual’s ability to fight off diabetes. Even if overall weight is not reduced, it is important to reduce caloric intake. This in itself will decrease cells’ resistance to insulin. With exercise, the number of insulin receptors increases, improving the body’s ability to use the insulin.8

Did any of you try any of the solutions mentioned here? I got the same problem, and I wanna get it fixed. I've been suffering from this for 10 years now. It's been on and off, I'll get it for a year and then it goes away for about 6 months, and so on. Is there any off the shelf meds that I can get?