What should you know about causes of dark pee?

Urine can look darker after losing fluid through sweating, vomiting, diarrhoea, or simply drinking less. Brown, tea-coloured, red, or cloudy urine is different from ordinary deep yellow urine and may need assessment, especially when it persists. Pain, fever, yellowing of the eyes, swelling, or a change in how often you pass urine adds useful context for a clinician.

If your concern is actually dark patches on the skin, the appearance can follow irritation, inflammation, sun exposure, or pigment-producing conditions. Melasma, sun spots, tinea versicolor, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation are separate possibilities, not diagnoses made from colour alone. See [Dark Patches On Skin](/symptoms/dark-patches-on-skin/) for the symptom overview.

Notice when the colour started, whether it changes after drinking fluids, and any new medicine, supplement, or strongly coloured food. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without advice. If the issue is skin darkening, use gentle cleansing, avoid picking or harsh scrubbing, and protect exposed areas from sunlight. A clinician can match treatment to the cause; options may include [Skin Brightening Treatment](/treatments/aesthetic-procedures/skin-brightening-treatment/) or another targeted approach.

Seek prompt medical care for urine that is red or cola-coloured, severe pain, fever with back pain, yellow skin or eyes, confusion, marked weakness, or very little urine. Arrange a medical review when unusual colour continues or returns without a clear explanation. For a skin patch, seek assessment if it changes quickly, bleeds, becomes painful, or develops a persistent scale.

Ask whether the colour suggests dehydration, blood, bile, muscle pigment, infection, or a medicine effect; whether urine testing is needed; and which changes should trigger urgent care. For skin pigmentation, ask whether a [Chemical Peel](/treatments/aesthetic-procedures/chemical-peel/) or [Picosecond Laser Treatment](/treatments/laser-and-energy/picosecond-laser-treatment/) is appropriate for your skin type.