Everyone dreams of having flawless and radiant skin. However, wrinkles, age spots, hyperpigmentation, and other issues can quickly transform that dream into an unpleasant reality.
Excessive pigmentation leads to a dull, dry complexion and harms one’s skin vitality if neglected or exposed to too much sun damage. If excessive pigmentation is left untreated, hyperpigmentation may develop, which can result in uneven regions of discoloration.
Let us explore hyperpigmentation in more depth, uncover its underlying causes, and discuss potential treatment options.
What Is Hyperpigmentation?
Darker patches of skin that differ noticeably from one’s normal complexion represent hyperpigmentation. The affected areas stand out as distinctly darker than the surrounding skin. Problems like old acne scars, sunspots, freckles, or skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema, can spur hyperpigmentation.
What Can Cause Hyperpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation can occur due to a number of reasons, some of which include:
Sun Exposure
When our skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, melanin production increases in order to protect the skin from sun damage. The excess melanin results in a tan appearance during sun exposure. However, when sun exposure becomes too frequent or intense over time, it leads to the development of darker, concentrated patches on the skin known as sunspots or hyperpigmentation.
Skin Inflammation
Inflammation in our skin cells can stimulate excess melanin production. When our skin gets damaged due to acne, insect bites, cuts, scrapes, eczema, or friction from rough scrubbing, it can spark an inflammatory response, thus, resulting in dark spots. Even after the initial injury has healed the pigmentation can last. This type of excess pigmentation is called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Melasma
Melasma produces patches of concentrated pigment that arise from hormonal shifts, especially during pregnancy. While men can develop melasma as well, it most frequently impacts women.
It results in areas of extra pigmentation that stand out from a person’s normal skin tone. The darkened patches are linked to hormonal changes, particularly increases in estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol levels during pregnancy.
Medical Condition or Medications
Sometimes hyperpigmentation is a sign of an underlying health issue like Addison’s disease or a side effect of medication. In these cases, identifying and addressing the underlying cause is critical to effectively manage hyperpigmentation.
How To Treat And Prevent Hyperpigmentation?
Here are a few skincare essentials and tips that can be useful in removing and reducing facial pigmentation:
Moisturize Your Skin
One simple solution for hyperpigmentation is keeping your skin well moisturized. Regular moisturizing helps hydrate skin and noticeably lighten dark patches. Choose a moisturizer formulated with brightening ingredients like Vitamin C and niacinamide to hydrate skin deeply while softening and fading hyperpigmentation.
Use Sunscreen
Using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF is one of the best ways to protect skin from hyperpigmentation. Sun protection helps prevent excess pigmentation from sun damage and boosts fading for any existing hyperpigmented patches.
Avoid Picking Your Skin
As much as the urge to scratch an itch or drain a blackhead may be overwhelming, resist picking at your skin. Scratching or squeezing spots only increases inflammation, leading to hyperpigmentation.
Include Vitamin C Serum In Your Skincare Routine
Hyperpigmentation can be dramatically reduced using vitamin C serum. This is due to vitamin C’s ability to prevent excessive melanin synthesis. Additionally, it aids in minimizing the visibility of dark patches and uneven skin tone.
Consult A Dermatologist About High-Tech Solutions
For persistent hyperpigmentation that is not improving with topical treatments, medical procedures like chemical peels, dermabrasion, or vein/pigment treatment may provide more effective results.
Choose Lotus For The Best Skin Treatment
Your skin may need advanced therapy if the standard treatment options fail. Visit our skin clinic to receive the best pigmentation treatment from our professionals. You can book an appointment with us online or directly call us at (416)-238-6773.
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