Pigmentation

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As the cooler weather starts, lots of people take the opportunity to tackle pigmentation. To treat pigmentation, it is important to have a good understanding of the underlying causes...of which there are many

  • Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation

    • common causes on the face include acne, rashes, burns and sometimes even side effects of previous treatments such as chemical peels

  • Melasma

    • hormonal pigmentation 15 x more common in females, triggered by estrogen (pregnancy, OCP, HRT) and UV light

  • Solar damage 

    • Sun exposure can cause regular distribution of melanin (tanning) and irregular pigment distribution - solar lentigo, pigmented skin cancers 

  • Freckling - even spotty pigmentation produced by exposure to the sun 

  • Seborrheic keratosis

    • Darkened ‘age appts’ or barnacles

  • Genetic pigmentation - related to ethnicity and Fitzpatrick skin type (1 - 6)

Once the type of pigmentation and your skin type have been identified, a treatment plan targeting these causes can be formulated. 

Prevention

  • sun protective behaviours and clothing

  • SPF - suncream

  • treating underlying triggers eg. control acne, optimise eczema management, stop hormonal preparations and any other contributing medication if possible

Skin Care

  • incorporate anti-oxidants and lightening agents (or tyrosinase inhibitors) into your skin care regime

  • minimise harsh exfoliants and irritants

Treatments

  • prescription topical and oral medication

  • chemical peels - superficial - medium depth

  • lasers and lights

 

What are some key ingredients in skin care that you can incorporate prior to seeking treatment?


Broad spectrum SPF 

  • look for UVA and UVB protection

  • SPF 30 or higher

Tyrosinase inhibitors - Tyrosinase is an enzyme in melanocytes (pigment cells) that converts Tyrosine --> Melanin (pigment); by inhibiting it, you can decrease the production of new pigment and fade old pigment

  • Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)

  • Kojic acid

  • Arbutin

  • Liquorice extract

  • Vitamin C

  • Vitamin A

  • Ferulic Acid

  • Resorcinol

You don't need all of these in your skin care regime, but a product with a select few will go a long way in helping to minimise pigmentation. Essentially laying the ground work and preparing your skin for the introduction of any physical treatments or prescription products.