If you’ve ever caught a glimpse of your arms or legs in natural light and noticed tiny, pale dots speckling your skin—especially as your summer glow begins to fade—you’re far from alone. These small, porcelain-white marks often become more noticeable against slightly tanned or naturally pigmented skin, standing out like delicate snowflakes on a sun-kissed canvas. For many people, they seem to appear gradually over the years, sometimes increasing in number with age, and can spark curiosity—or even mild concern.
You might have wondered: Are these spots a rash? A fungal infection? A sign of something more serious? The good news is that, in the vast majority of cases, these marks are completely benign. Dermatologists have a name for them: idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis, or IGH for short—and they’re far more common than you might think.
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