How to Care for Your Skin’s Hyperpigmentation

Flawless skin is what we all aim for when caring for our skin.  However dark spots can pop up almost instantly even when we are diligent with the use sun block and good skin care.  What can we do to help?   There are several types of treatments that can address hyperpigmentation but the correct treatment depends on several factors.  First we need to understand the types of hyperpigmentation.

There are several forms of hyperpigmentation.  Sun spots, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation,  melasma, freckles,  age spots (or liver spots) and poikiloderma are frequent culprits.  Sun exposure is a contributor to each of these except postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.  Even though sun exposure is not the initial cause of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation,  it can certainly worsen the condition.  Bottom line:  Always wear sun block!

Here is a summary of things to know about each type of hyperpigmentation.

Melasma:

• Patchy brown, tan or blue-gray discoloration
• Typically seen in the central face, along cheek bones, above the upper lip and along the jaw line.
• Causes include sun exposure, genetics and hormones
• More common in women then men

Sun spots (or solar lentigines):

• Occur later in life
• Can be seen on any area of the body after repeated sun exposure
• Typically darker than freckles
• Do not fade much during the winter months
• When severe, treatments will help even out skin color but can not eliminate all the hyperpigmentation

Freckles (or ephiledes):

• Occur earlier in life
• Small, tan and round
• Commonly seen in individuals with light skin tone
• Genetics are a big factor
• Usually do not change much over time but may fade during winter months

Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation

• Seen more commonly in darker skin types
• Occurs after irritation or inflammation of the skin; examples are dermatitis, acne, and thermal burn
• Certain medications may darken postinflammatory hyperpigmentation

Poikiloderma

• Mottled pigmentation with visible tiny red veins seen on the sides of the neck
• More common in women
• Sun exposure and possibly lotions and perfumes may be factors

How do we treat hyperpigmentation?

• Sun block is an absolute necessity on a daily basis; SPF 30 or higher, zinc or titanium oxide along with the use of lightening agents such as retinols, Retin-A, azelaic acid, kojic acid, other natural lighteners, vitamin C and hydroquinone
• The treatment plan may include chemical peels, microneedling and laser therapies; the correct treatment options depend on the degree of hyperpigmentation, the underlying cause and baseline skin tone.  Your skin care professional will guide you to develop a customized treatment plan.

In addition, topical antioxidants and growth factors should be an integral part of everyone’s daily skin care regimen.  Antioxidants provide additional protection from the harmful rays of the sun.  Growth factors help the skin cells to repair any damage and keep the skin cells healthy.  The combination of these products along with sun block will provide a huge protective barrier for your skin.

Remember, it takes years for hyperpigmentation to develop and it will take time to correct it.  With the proper skin care and treatment plan, hyperpigmentation can be drastically diminished.

For those worried about Vitamin D deficiency with chronic use of sun block, here is a little pearl.  Your skin will still produce vitamin D even with the use of sun block (The British Journal of Dermatology. 2009;161(4):732-736).  As long as you get 10 minutes of daylight exposure, your vitamin D levels should be sufficient according to leading experts.

Remember the skin is the largest organ of the body!  Do your best to keep it healthy and it will continue to look and function at it’s best!