Can T change skin complexion or increase melanin?

[conformer]

Is this even possible lol? Perhaps it can increase melanin production? My dad is black/spanish/philippino and is of darker complexion, but I got my skin tone from my mother (European) and since starting T I've gotten orange-r and notice that I get tan pretty quick now. I've never been this tan before and it's not even that far into summer lol. My mom noticed too, so I don't think it's in my head xD.

So yeah, has anyone else experienced this, or is it possible?

[Kreuzfidel]

My complexion changed - it was one of the first changes for me.  I had always been very pale and uniform in complexion - then, after starting T. I started to slowly get much ruddier.  It's not due to sunlight as I rarely go outside - my bp isnormal and there's generally no other explanation.

[AbraCadabra]

Ruddier yes, I can support that. More melamine? No, not really.
Was on T for most of my life and ALWAYS low on melamine (to my detriment).
I now pay the price for too many sunburns gotten doing water-sports.
So best to be careful.

My 2 cents,
Axélle

[Cindy]

I don't think there should be any change in melanin production. You may just be seeing complexion changes due to the skin layers thinning (on T), so what you had is now more visible. T lowers or rather P&E increase body fat, that is one reason woman have curves and guys don't. So females have an 'extra' layer of fat. On T you will lose that layer so any colouration in your skin will be more obvious.

This is based on no solid information at all

Cindy

[Nicolette]

I don't know about T, but I've been cursed with overactive melanocytes induced by high estrogen levels. I only discovered a month ago, after 12 years,  exactly what these dark patches were on my cheeks and that there is a name for it, melasma.

[Arch]

I figured it was higher blood volume. My father is ruddy, and now I'm ruddier than I was pre-T.

[Cindy]

I figured it was higher blood volume. My father is ruddy, and now I'm ruddier than I was pre-T.

Your blood volume is pretty static, you can lose it but generally it is never expanded, there is a body volume thing that come in and after that the genetics kick in. People who have a menstrual cycle lose blood, but in fact it is a minor amount and is replaced quickly. If a menstrual cycle is complicated by poor diet and iron loss than that is a different story, but it is the poor diet rather than the blood volume change. We regulate our blood volume very rapidly, and our blood components as well, if (for example) we start to drop our neutrophil numbers we very rapidly, as in seconds to minutes, turn on the production of them.

If we are in a serious blood loss, we pump our red cells like crazy.

Now to return to the thread. Sorry

Cindy

[conformer]

Okay, cool thanks for all of the replies. The skin thinning idea seems to make more sense than anything I can come up with!

[supremecatoverlord]

I'm not terribly older than you are (at least compared to some other folks on here) and I've already noticed that my skin tone has changed significantly as well. I don't have the ethnic background that you have, but my skin certainly appears darker than it did, even before i started to get more sunlight. As Cindy said, I am pretty sure it's due to the layer of skin thinning. You seem to already accepted her conclusion, but I figured I'd post anyway.

[Arch]

Red blood cell volume/concentration, I ought to have said. I have tougher, thicker skin now--in fact, my eczema appears to have been totally cured--but I have a higher concentration of red blood cells.

[Inkwe Mupkins]

Very interesting! Weirdly my skin tone has lightened, my mother is white and father black...but yeah people have commented on how light I am compared to before...and before ppl thought I was mixed now everyone thinks I'm hispanic or part arab of some sort.