The-ultimate-guide-to-pigmentation-its-causes-treatments
The Ultimate Guide To Pigmentation, Its Causes & Treatments
By Mary Basiadima, 15 April 2020
Thank you for visiting our ultimate guide to . We hope after you have it you will be better prepared to tackle your . (8 min read)
This guide covers the following areas:
What is pigmentation?
According to the Mariam Webster is :
"a colouring matter in animals and plants especially in a cell or tissue"
What causes skin pigmentation?
We can suffer from whatever age, sex, skin tone and ethnicity we are.
Skin pigmentation can result in an over or under production of . Melanin is produced by the in the skin cells. When there is an over production of it is called hyperpigmentation, when not enough is produced it is called .
and Doctors are not sure of the exact reason for certain skin changes. Other like sun spots have causes.
Pigmentation and hyperpigmentation
of the skin is a as all skin contains pigmentation. When it is or a problem it is best referred to as .
causes or spots. They can be beige, brown, red or purplish coloured and can appear anywhere.
The sun is one of the causes of pigmentation, along with pregnancy and hormonal changes. Below are the most of . Sometimes it can be severe and noticeable like or albinism. Let’s look at these two of first.
Pop star Michael is said to have from which saw his skin colour change over the years from dark to light.
Other severe skin pigmentation issues can occur due to conditions, changes and sometimes shock.
seen in clinics everyday is not a severe as the two conditions above. The following types of pigmentation are more common, with one of the most common Melasma.
What is Melasma?
caused by pregnancy is called Melasma. (It is also known as ‘chloasma’ or �[https://www.face-station.co.uk �pregnancy] mask’). The name comes from melas which is the Greek word for black. It results in brown or greyish patches of usually on the face.
It is more common in women with up to 50% affected during pregnancy, in people of colour and those who .
Hyperpigmentation From Sun Damage (Solar Lentigenes)
When on the face it is normally found on the most areas of the cheeks, nose and forehead. They can look like freckles or age spots or just as uneven patches of colour. Sun spots or age spots are found in people over 50 but they can also appear in younger people who have spent many unprotected hours in the sun.
Hyperpigmentation from Acne Scarring
Scarring from acne can also cause hyperpigmentation. It is often red and can be very noticeable and to cover up as the skins surface is and uneven.
Acne pigmentation
This is caused by the which can form around . It is often referred to as and can be removed with careful skin care and laser treatment. Lasers the and is suitable for all skin types
The left behind by acne can be as bad as the acne and is more . If an gradually fades away red, brown or purplish discolouration, where the spots once were, can permanently be left behind.
Freckles (Lentigenes / Ephelides)
is one and lentigene are many. Freckles are a type of hyperpigmentation. The medical term for them is ephelides. They happen because more melanin is produced unevenly across the skin. This causes little spots of discolouration known as a .
Freckles are not caused by the sun. They’re genetic. They do, however, appear when the skin is exposed to the sun.
What can I do about hyperpigmentation?
The best protection against it to use When it is caused by medication or by certain illnesses it is best to speak to your doctor.
Before have the area checked by a expert, doctor or . Any skin changes should also be by a medical professional.
Once you are given the go ahead for treatment and have been advised there is nothing about your pigmentation, or any recent changes, you can take the next step to have them treated. But what are available?
Treatments for hyperpigmentation
There are many miracle cures, over the counter lotions and creams all claiming to work for skin pigmentation. The is full of them. And they are usually quite expensive. Only a few of these will have an effect for most people.
That is why it is important to speak to a professional so they can point you in the right direction. Trying to through all the claims and can leave your off and out of pocket for of pounds.
Some of the best for are listed below.
(OTC) use to reduce pigmentation in either gel or cream form. Many have available via prescription. Applied once or twice a day, over time they help lighten the skin over time.
Creams or gels are most on flat spots like age spots or melasma. They are also good for patches of across most .
OTC are easily available and a more affordable option for . They can take longer to work than professional treatments.
If you are buying online only purchase products from and manufacturers you trust.
Face or exfoliate or shed the top layer of your skin. The new skin cells older ones evening out your skin tone making it smoother.
Face acids are available OTC at beauty clinics and chemists. Always look for an acid content of 10% or less from a trusted source. A higher may of side effects and are best left to professionals in a clinic setting.
Popular acids include:
Face acids are ideal for on skin tones.
are some of the oldest used in the beauty . Derived from vitamin A, their small molecular structure lets them deeply penetrate into the skin layers below the .
can be either or OTC, with OTC being weaker. If after a few months you don’t notice results ask your skincare provider about retinoid (Retin-A).
may be safe for all . If you have darker skin, check with your skin care if you plan on using them long term.
Also retinoids may not be the first line of as they are more often used to treat wrinkles than hyperpigmentation.
goes much deeper into the layers of the skin then microdermabrasion and is more invasive with a longer healing time . The results are more as a result of the invasive nature.
For microdermabrasion a is used along with a unique nourishing serum. Tiny crystals are "blasted" over the skins surface in a way.
Old and damaged skin is smoothed away with clear, left behind. As the layer is production is encouraged. A course of is ideal to target scars or .
Practitioners can use various methods to lessen the pain to a or scraping sensation so you should not worry about it being .
The treatment must only be carried out by . Too much or over vigorous treatment can damage the skin and actually cause new pigmentation to form. If is very effective. It can be used on a of pigmentation acne .
Microdermabrasion works best on and for people with lighter skin. Your skincare provider will help you decide whether it is the right treatment for you.
works on more serious and is far more riskier, requiring a longer of days. There is also a risk of as layers of skin are scrapped away.
A chemical preparation is used to take off upper layers of skin. The most popular chemical is glycolic acid mixed with other skin nurturing ingredients.
The is applied by brush and left like a normal facial peel. When it is removed the skin sheds. This happens over the course of a few days. Applying sun block after a chemical peel is . If not more pigmentation may occur as the new fresh skin is very vulnerable and .
Two popular peels many clinics offer are the Depigmentation Peel and the Skinbrite Peel.
which is for dark spots and patches. It is a peel that is for anyone from deep pigmentation or melasma. It blocks the melanin production in problem cells so gets to the root of the problem.
After the peel you will need an home care kit to help improve your results in the weeks and months following the treatment.
This is a more gentle pigmentation peel. It is ideal for targeting sun spots, age spots and . It works by exfoliating the skin encouraging the damaged skin.
Skin peels are also fantastic treatment for rejuvenating the skin where age spots or darker pigmentation is visible. Over a course of treatments, a special Alpha is applied under clinical conditions. This removes a layer of skin fresh, undamaged skin . The treatment is not and the results are superb.
peels are best suited to treat age spots, sun damage, melasma and skin. They also work best on lighter skin tones and may provide results than face acid products.
Non and pain free, laser is very against many forms of . It is becoming increasingly popular because of the results and used.
Todays lasers are more advanced and sophisticated then earlier models and are now very on a range of skin types too.The laser beam targets the in the skin cells. It destroys the without affecting the .
The pigmentation is then removed from the body over time through its immune system. Laser Pigmentation Removal, www.hushinjections.com write an article, is not painful or . After 2-6 most will notice improvements in skin.
Laser treatment work well on Freckles, Sun Spots, Hyperpigmentation, Age spots (solar lentigines), Flat pigmented birthmarks (congenital melanocytic naevi) and is suitable on all skin types.
IPL is a type of non-ablative (fractional) laser treatment. Non ablative means it heats up the skin and is gentler then procedures which destroy the layers of skin and a longer healing period.
Pulsed Light treatment (IPL) is great for skin tones. It is different then laser treatment as it uses multiple to target larger areas. Unlike laser which focus a laser on an exact spot at an exact wavelength.
Collagen production and growth is within the dermis. It normally requires .
IPL is used for overall pigmentation issues, but flat spots especially respond to this treatment. It may also help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, spider veins, and pores.
IPL works best for people with fair skin.
What works best for your skin tone?
Skin tone affects the intensity and length of treatments. People with all skin tones can use the treatments mentioned above but if you have a darker skin tone you may need more time for treatments to work.
The following may be ruled out if you easily tan or have darker skin:
lasers
IPL therapy
peels
microdermabrasion
glycolic or kojic acid
microdermabrasion
peels
laser treatments – only used at lower over a larger number of sessions
Dark Circles Under The Eye Dark (Preorbital Dark Circles)
Dark circles under the eyes or dark circles occur when the skin below the eyes shows blood vessels and pools. They appear blue in people with fair skin as skin only lets in the blue wavelength of light.
If they appear darker it is because under eye light from blood under the thin skin. The is greater and more apparent the your skin. Skin under your eyes is only 0.5mm thick which compares to 2mm thick on rest of your body.
Causes range from:
Dark under eye can be by a number of ways.
microneedling and radiofrequency. It production and helps to plump and firm the skin. The skin under the eyes becomes fuller unable to reflect blue light as much and the dark .
Puffiness or "bags" often come with dark circles. Dermal fillers can help restore brighter, more youthful eyes. Injectables are not for everyone and can be seen as a step to far but they do work well and are an option.
This works by penetrating the skins to start cell . Heat targets the tissue which makes it pull together and lift. It reaches deep into the layers cell and eliminating dark circles.
Designed for ages 30 – 50, it can either be used to or . Results develop over eight weeks and it is considered to be highly effective, safe as well as FDA approved.
With so many effective and affordable treatments on offer, you don’t need to suffer with skin pigmentation any longer. The first step you can take today is to apply good high SPF sun cream to your skin. The next step should be to a qualified skin care practitioner to and discuss your skin and draw up a treatment plan for you.
Why not book a free consultation with one of our today. It’s free, the only cost is your time.
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