Hyperpigmentation refers to an excess of pigment in an area of the skin. This darkening or discoloration can be caused by several factors, including injury, trauma, sunlight or a skin disease. While the natural darker pigmentation can have a protective effect, the discoloration can be frustrating.

Whether you wear shiny hoops, dangling beads or glittering gemstone earrings, it's smart to keep your jewelry clean. Earrings spend all day in contact with your skin, and if they're not properly sanitized they can cause an infection. It's especially important to clean your earrings if your piercings are new.

Hair is one of the few things that both men and women are often equally vain about. While some may go to greater lengths than others for maintenance, we all want to frame our faces with a good head of hair. It's important to carefully consider not just the brand of hair products you're using, but also the ingredients.

Lymphatic massage works by encouraging the colorless lymph fluid to move about the body to fight infection and disease. This treatment is commonly performed after certain surgeries, including mastectomies.

Fingernail fungus occurs when fungi or bacteria enter the nail bed. This can occur either through a crack or break in the cuticles or nail plate, or it could be the result of bacteria inside the body. Fingernail fungus is characterized by thick, yellow and cracked nail beds and can be embarrassing.

The steam room has been a popular fixture in fitness centers and health clubs for decades. Steam rooms are credited with all sorts of benefits, including weight loss and detoxification. These benefits may be exaggerated — and in fact, the steam room may present risks to your health and safety.

Benzoyl peroxide is a type of alcohol only made for topical application to your skin. It is used as a medication and treatment for a number of skin problems, most notably acne on your skin. It works by drying out your skin and eliminating the oil that can cause the development of acne.

Often, pitted or sunken scars in the skin are the legacy of adolescent acne. These lesions are caused by incomplete healing at the site of infection. When the healing skin does not produce enough collagen and other fibrous tissues, the result is an atrophic scar.

Soaps vary a great deal in terms of their ingredients. For example, while some soaps make your skin dry, other soaps are very moisturizing. Glycerin soaps are considered to be one of the most moisturizing types of soap.

Everyone knows the benefits that exercise has on the body, eliciting a tighter and toned figure. Exercising your facial muscles, or "face yoga," may have a similar effect, helping to naturally lift and tone your face without costly injections, painful peels or invasive plastic surgery.

Whether it's too little sleep or an unexpected allergy attack, baggy eyes can pop up at a moment's notice. You can help eliminate unsightly eye bags by using short-term solutions that deflate the bags under your eyes for a smoother, more youthful appearance.

According to MayoClinic.com, shingles is a viral infection that causes a rash on the skin. Caused by the dormant varicella-zoster virus that causes chicken pox, shingles can be very painful and unsightly for some people.