Hyperpigmentation is nothing new. In fact, it’s said in some research papers to be one of the most common causes for people to visit a dermatologist Down Under. This could be because the sun’s rays are amongst the harshest in the world (we receive higher UV radiation levels due to our close proximity to the equator) and we often have clearer atmospheric conditions (read: limited cloud cover to diffuse the sun’s rays), which is one of the reasons pigmentation is a top skin concern for us. This article is brought to you by Palmer’s Australia.
So, if you’ve been wondering how to get rid of hyperpigmentation, then you’ve come to the right place. Here’s why this beauty bugbear occurs and steps we can take to prevent it from happening.
What is pigmentation?
Put simply, hyperpigmentation is the result of excess melanin being produced in the skin and can appear anywhere on your body as little patches of skin that are deeper in tone than other areas. It’s super common in all ethnicities but it’s especially prevalent in those with darker skin tones.
Interestingly enough, the first most perceivable sign of ageing is actually pigmentation, ahead of wrinkles and skin firmness, according to a study by Australian socio-biologists.
“Pigmentation is when the skin becomes more intense in colour and often this can occur in an uneven pattern,” explains leading Australian Dermatologist and Palmer’s Australia ambassador, Dr. Liz Dawes-Higgs. “Pigmentation can be caused by contraceptive hormones, pregnancy, some medications, solar damage and also post-inflammation. Post-inflammation pigmentation can occur after trauma or other things such as acne, dermatitis and infections.”
A more specific type of pigmentation is called melasma, which is characterised by dark, discoloured patches on the face, particularly on the cheeks, nose, forehead, and upper lip.
Why does pigmentation occur later in life?
Over the course of our lives, damage to our skin cell DNA occurs as a result of UV exposure and other environmental aggressors, like pollution. When we’re younger, our cells have much more robust repair mechanisms to repair the changes to our DNA, however, this ability to repair these changes declines gradually over time, resulting in more abnormalities.
Pexels: Angela Roma
How to prevent and treat pigmentation
The best way to treat hyperpigmentation is to make sure you are both preventative and protective of your skin.
“Melasma can be treated with a combination of topical creams, chemical peels, and laser therapy, but it can be a difficult condition to fully resolve,” explains Dr. Liz. “But the most important first step is to prevent skin pigmentation from occurring in the first place. To do this try to stay out of the sun and wear sunscreen.”
While hyperpigmentation can be treated at home with topical prescription creams such as retinoids and mild steroids (which will work to fade the colour over time and speed up cell rejuvenation), your first point of action should be to embrace antioxidant skincare products that can help to repair some of the DNA damage that’s likely been caused by hormones, sun or scarring.
“Vitamins A, C and E can have an effect when it comes to hyperpigmentation. Vitamin C and E have what’s called a synergistic effect, which means they work together to both repair DNA damage in skin cells and also reduce pigmentation. Vitamin A (retinol) also has a similar effect in repairing DNA changes.”
Ingredients like songyi mushroom target the dermis, which is the 2nd skin layer, to stop the overall production of melanin (what produces pigmentation). Niacinamide and vitamin C and E work across the second skin layer in the epidermis to discourage pigmentation from traveling to the skin’s surface and they can also brighten the skin’s overall complexion.
The best products for pigmentation
Using proper suncare to prevent and manage pigmentation is beneficial, but using skincare with certain ingredients like niacinamide, vitamin C, retinol and songyi mushroom, featured in Palmer’s Skin Success Fade Cream, can also help to reduce pigmentation.
Palmer’s Skin Success Anti-Dark Spot Fade Cream
This cream features ingredients like 5% niacinamide, vitamin C, E, songyi mushroom and retinol – all found to prevent and reduce the appearance of pigmentation, when working in synergy together. Better yet, 98% of women saw visible results to dark spots, age spots, skin tone and acne-scarring after using Palmer’s Skin Success Fade Cream over 6 weeks. Nice.
- https://www.adaclinic.com.au/skin-pigmentation-found-significant-role-perceived-age-beauty/#:~:text=A%20study%20by%20Austrian%20socio,beauty%20and%20health%20is%20perceived.%E2%80%9D
- https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2021/december/melasma
This article is brought to you by Palmer’s Australia.
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