One of the most frequently asked questions that I receive on a weekly basis is “what causes skin discolorations and what can I do to get rid of it?”. There is an old saying that I love…"until you are 20, you have the skin you were born with, afterward, you have the skin you deserve”. This is so true. Our skin is a barometer of our past and can serve to either remind us or tell others a lot about how we have cared for our skin over the years.
As we age, skin damage will begin to manifest itself in various forms, including darkened skin pigmentation called hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation is a common, usually harmless condition in which patches of skin become darker in color than the normal surrounding skin. This darkening occurs when an excess of melanin, the brown pigment that produces normal skin color, forms deposits in the skin. Hyperpigmentation can affect the skin color of people of any race although People with darker Asian, east Indian, middle Eastern, Hispanic, or African skin tones are also more prone to hyperpigmentation especially if they have excess sun exposure.
Uneven pigmentation of the skin may be a natural occurrence or related to ultraviolet light, hormones, drugs, or acne. There are also skin diseases and genetic abnormalities that can cause hyperpigmentation. Common manifestations of hyperpigmentation include sunspots, freckles, “acne spots” and melasma (pregnancy mask).
Below is an explanation of what causes these various forms of hyperpigmentation to give you a better understanding of the problem:
Age Spots/Liver Spots/Sun Spots - Sunspots, medically called lentigos, and commonly referred to as liver spots, are a product of sun exposure. This exposure is cumulative and not directly related to sunburn on a specific day. Sunspots result from the increased production of melanin as a consequence of long -standing sun exposure. The most common areas involved are the face, neck, upper chest and arms.
Freckles - Freckles, medically called ephelides, develop in fair-skinned individuals as a result of sun exposure. This is the skin’s protective measure against the harmful effects of ultraviolet light. Freckles are predominantly seen on sun-exposed surfaces and will fade when the skin is protected from ultraviolet light.
Acne Spots - Finally, post-inflammatory skin darkening is a common occurrence after irritation or injury to the skin. It is more prominent in dark-skin, however, it is also seen in lighter-skin individuals. After irritation or injury to the skin, the pigment cells (melanocytes) deposit pigment in both the upper and lower layers of the skin. This is a condition that usually clears with time, although it can last for months to years. Immediate treatment is important, as this will help determine the outcome and ultimate appearance of the area.
Melasma (hormonal skin discoloration) - An example of hyperpigmentation is melasma (also known as chloasma). This condition is characterized by tan or brown patches, most commonly on the face. Melasma can occur in pregnant women and is often called the "mask of pregnancy;" however, men can also develop this condition. Melasma frequently goes away after pregnancy. It can also be treated with certain prescription creams (such as hydroquinone).
If you have melasma, try to limit your exposure to sunlight. Use a strong sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) at all times, because sunlight will worsen your condition. Sunblocks containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are best.
As you can tell, there are multiple causes of hyperpigmentation. Regardless of the cause, however, there is one thing that each of these conditions have in common - Freckles, age spots, and other darkened skin patches can become darker or more pronounced when skin is exposed to the sun. This happens because melanin absorbs the energy of the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays in order to protect he skin from overexposure. The usual result of this process is skin tanning, which tends to darken areas that are already hyperpigmented. Wearing a sunscreen is a must. The sunscreen must be "broad spectrum" (i.e. it blocks both UVA and UVB). A single day of excess sun can undo months of treatment.
Choosing Products to Help Hyperpigmentation Concerns
When choosing products to help address the concerns of hyperpigmentation, it is important to realize that a multi-layer skin care approach will be key in achieving the maximum results. You will need to include products that do the following:
o Exfoliate the skin’s surface to expedite the removal of the discoloration – Microdermabrasion facial buffing cream and the Regeneration face and neck serum customized for your age.
o Effectively “fade” the appearance of hyperpigmentation – Cell Block C Skin Brightening Elixir (Vitamin C, Licorice extract, Mulberry extract, Black Tea Ferment, Ferula Foetida extract, and Emblica extract ), Cell Block C Multivitamin Serum (high potency Vitamin C.
o Increase new cell development to speed the rate that the skin renews itself – Regeneration Overnight containing retinol
o Provide multi-layer protection to not only block the harmful results of UV exposure, but also protect the newly forming cells from damage as well – Regeneration Overnight and your BC Spa daily moisturizer containing SPF benefits.
AM Regimen
• Cleanse
• Scrub/Microdermabrasion (AM OR PM)
• Tonic
• Cell Block C Brightening Elixir
• Moisturizer
• Eye Cream
PM Regimen
• Cleanse
• Tonic
• Cell Block C Multivitamin Serum
• Regeneration Overnight
• Regeneration Overnight Eye Capsules
• PM Moisturizer
• Eye Cream
The thing that you must remember before starting any type of regimen to address hyperpigmentation is to be realistic with your expectations. Hyperpigmentation is the result of years of damage to the skin and you cannot expect that it will go away over night. A good regimen of products can begin to show positive results in as little as 30 days, but you will not begin to see more dramatic results for at least 3 to 6 months of continuous use.
Another point that I need to stress again, is that the sun WILL cause areas of hyperpigmentation to become darker or more pronounced when skin is exposed to the sun. Wearing a sunscreen is a must…every day, all year long. The sunscreen must be "broad spectrum" (i.e. it blocks both UVA and UVB). Remember, a single day of excess sun can undo months of treatment.
I hope this helps to offer more information as it relates to hyperpigmentation, its causes and its treatment. If you have any specific questions, please don’t hesitate to email them to us.
Make it a great week!
