Skin color at birth is an indicator of each person's original shade before environmental and lifestyle factors could have an effect.

Our skin color at birth will usually change over the years

Our skin color when we were born is our natural shade before environmental and lifestyle factors could have an effect on it.

From the first year of our lives to now, we would have lived through thousands of days of sun exposure, harmful pollutants, and chemicals – all of which would have darkened our skin, both internally and externally.

Common causes of skin darkening over the years

 

  • Daily sun exposure. How many thousands of hours have you spent playing outdoors while you were a kid, going to the beach, swimming, playing organized sports at school? Each hour under the sun would have triggered a darkening reaction — the body’s way of protecting itself from UV radiation.
  • Environmental damage. Damage from the environment in the form of pollution, toxins and chemicals can make your skin appear duller and darker. Unfortunately, unless you live in a rural commune, these toxins and chemicals are in everything you touch, eat and drink. If you live in the city or near an industrial area, the very air you breathe is likely full of toxins.
  • Poor diet/lifestyle. Who among us hasn’t eaten greasy cheeseburgers and french fries, only to wash it down with sodas? While junk food may taste good, the frightening truth is that we become what we eat. Every cell in our bodies is made up of the nourishment we choose to ingest, and eating a poor diet filled with fat, sugar and preservatives will affect our health and give us drier, darker-looking and more damaged skin.
  • Hormonal changes. Hormonal changes can affect our skin, leading to changes in skin tone and evenness. Some of the causes of hormonal changes and fluctuations include puberty, birth control pills, pregnancy, menopause, and even eating hormone-injected meat.