Hello friends.

Today’s blog post is dedicated to my younger sister Jamie (38), who like many of us,  is doing battle with some frustrating hyper pigmentation on her face.

There are many ways to treat hyper pigmentation, and I’m not ashamed to say, I’ve tried a ridiculous number of products over the years to ward off sun damage, and the aging that happens as a result. I’m going to share with you what has not only worked for me, but has been scientifically proven to treat hyper pigmentation. These products are part of the proven regimen prescribed by plastic surgeons and med spas around the world.

Sun Protection

I hate to be the bad guy here, but working in the beauty industry,  I talk to women every day who want a smooth, youthful complexion void of age spots, but also want the golden glow of a tan. Unfortunately, we can’t have both; at least not without the use of sunless tanners. Most hyper-pigmentation is caused by two things; hormones and sun exposure. The latter being the primary reason we get those lovely dark spots. Trying to treat hyper-pigmentation while you are also tanning is truly fighting a losing battle. As a former sun worshiper myself, I know tanning can be hard to give up, but it’s truly the best thing you can do for your skin.  Sun protection can’t be overlooked if you want to improve hyper-pigmentation. Personally, I use a high quality sun screen on my face, neck and chest, every single day (in the winter, too) as part of my skincare routine. It’s really not enough to use a foundation or tinted moisturizer with SPF. I made that assumption for years; It wasn’t until I changed my skincare, and really took sun protection more seriously, that I saw true changes in my skin. It’s also super important to take other measures to protect your skin; wearing hats, visors, and seeking out shade to avoid long periods of sun exposure on your face. This doesn’t mean you can’t and shouldn’t enjoy the sun; we all need to feel the warmth of the sun on our skin from time to time, but it’s important to realize that it’s sun exposure that’s causing the damage and creating hyper-pigmented areas on the skin. A shocking 80% of skin aging is from UV rays. Sun protection is arguably the most important tool in your anti aging arsenal. I’ve learned to view my pale skin as healthy skin. I use the Elta MD UV Daily sunscreen. It’s a beautiful product that wears well alone or under makeup.

 

 

 

 

Vitamin C Serum

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. It protects your skin from environmental damage, including UV exposure. With consistent use it has a brightening effect on the skin, helping to even the complexion. There are a plethora  of C serums on the market that are complete junk, so practice due diligence by reading reviews.  I’ve taken to testing the PH of my vitamin C serum to ensure it has not oxidized due to poor manufacturing or packaging. One that I use regularly, has a great price point,  and never have issues with it’s quality is Timeless C Serum.

Hydroquinone

Hydroquinone is used to decrease the formation of melanin in the skin, which is the primary cause of dark spots. Topically, hydroquinone is an effective skin lightener. It was the addition of hydroquinone to my own skincare regimen that gave me the most notable results in terms of the overall evenness of my complexion and reduction of hyper-pigmentation. Keep in mind it takes patience and consistent use. It takes years of sun damage to cause those dark spots, and it will take some time to remove them as well. Hang in there. I use the Zo Medical Melamin Cream that can be found at Med Spas that carry the Zo Medical brand.

 

 

BBL Treatments (Broad Band Light or Photo Facial)

When the sun damage isn’t responding to topical skincare products alone, a photo facial (or BBL treatment) is a proven way to treat hyper-pigmentation and other age related skincare issues. I’ve had two photo facials and saw improvement in my complexion from both a pigmentation standpoint, and overall brightness of my skin. A photo facial uses broad band light to treat pigmentation, vascularity, texture and firmness of the skin. It does not require down time, and other than a little flaking for a few days after treatment, you can go about your normal routine (and wear makeup) following treatment. It is a bit painful, as you feel the heat “zap” your skin with each pulse of light, but it’s very tolerable. The price point varies throughout the country. The cost here in Wisconsin was $300 per treatment. The recommendation is to get a series of three treatments; once a month for three months, and then maintain by getting a treatment quarterly. It’s definitely an investment, but worth the expense if hyper-pigmentation is something you struggle with.  It is not advised to get this treatment in the summer months if  you can’t avoid sun exposure, so do keep that in mind. Even though I did not get the prescribed series of three treatments, I did see an improvement in my skin and will definitely do it again.

Gentle Glycolic Peel

Your skin will benefit from a glycolic peel by revealing brighter, smoother, clearer skin and improved texture. The word peel can be a little intimidating, but let me assure you that mild glycolic peels can be done at home safely and with no down time. In most cases it’s better to do gentle peels more frequently than it is to do aggressive deep peels that require down time. I use a glycolic peel from makeupartistschoice.com once a week on Sunday evening before bed. You can watch my Youtube Tutorial here if you’d like to learn more, but in the event you are not comfortable with at home peels, there are many wonderful med spas that can guide you in making the right choices for your skin care concerns.

 

The most important thing when treating hyper-pigmentation, is consistency. As discouraging as it may be, with the tools listed in this blog post, you will see an improvement in your skin over time. Just remember prevention is more cost effective than treatment; protect your skin from the sun!!

 

Thanks for stopping by friends, feel free to leave a question or comment below. I’d be happy to help you with the skincare issues that are troubling you most.

Hugs and well wishes,

Stacy