Out, dark spot! Erasing the signs of time
Treatments to rid yourself of discolorations
Spot reducers and skin brighteners are among the hottest trends in skin care. Every skin care line has products that claim to specifically get rid of dark spots and discoloration on the skin, and make the skin look brighter and more even.
But to really figure out how to treat hyperpigmentation, it’s important to understand why it occurs in the first place.
What causes discoloration?
Dermatologist Dr. Paul Cohen, who works with skin care brand Neutrogena, explains that “the sun, skin aging, birth control, mask of pregnancy and genetics influence skin pigmentation.”
Basically, due to these factors, melanin becomes unevenly distributed in the skin, accumulating at the surface, explains Cohen. “Outcome: skin pigmentation becomes uneven and dark spots form on the surface of skin.”
But before heading to the drugstore, head to the doctor to have dark spots checked out — just to make sure that any new dark spots aren’t actually skin cancer. A family doctor can check for this, and, if need be, make a referral to a dermatologist. Once skin cancer has been ruled out, treatment of dark spots can begin.
Melanin suppressants
Dr. Louis Grondin, medical director of Sante Medical Group, recommends using tyrosinase inhibitors. Tyrosinase is the enzyme that is responsible for the production of melanin in the skin, and if you can limit its production, then you can limit hyperpigmentation. Grondin recommends looking for ingredients like hydroquinone, azaleaic acid, kojic acid and salicylic acid. These all have a disruptive effect on the skin’s production of melanin.
Exfoliation
Both Grondin and Cohen also recommend exfoliating to get rid of the surface layer of skin cells that can already be discoloured making your skin look dull. While drugstore products containing salicylic and kojic acid can help exfoliate, people who want a quicker and more effective treatment should head to a dermatologist to get a salicylic acid peel.
Peels
Peels have a higher concentration of acids in them and suppress the cells that cause hyperpigmentation. The best part about a salicylic acid peel is there’s no actual peeling and almost no down time.
Retinol and Vitamin C
Cohen recommends trying “products that contain vitamin C, which has an antioxidant that prevents and helps treat existing spots, helping to avoid free-radical damage.”
Another ingredient Cohen recommends is Retinol, which is easily accessible and helps to boost
Laser treatment
For some people the next option to try is a laser peel. According to Grondin, Erbium laser peels are great because they have no heat, and so can target dark spots without causing any inflammation.
A dermatologist can also use a Q-Switch laser (which is a tattoo laser) to target small areas of hyperpigmentation.
Unfortunately, treatment for dark spots is a continuous process because hyperpigmentation is caused by aging, sun damage, and hormonal changes, none of which can be stopped.