Hyperpigmentation: Causes and Skincare to Treat this Condition

No matter what your ethnicity, hyperpigmentation is a problem that you could experience at any time of your life. This skin disorder is characterized by the darkening of some areas of the skin, due to increased melanin (give skin color). There are three main types of hyperpigmentation: melasma, lentigines, and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Learning more about the types of hyperpigmentation

Post-inflammatory type of hyperpigmentation usually occurs after the eruptions of acne, psoriasis, dermatitis, and irritants such as inflammation, scratching and insect bites, among others. This type of hyperpigmentation consists of a skin reaction to inflammation, causing an overproduction of melanin, which leads to a dark spot as a trauma reaction.

Another type of hyperpigmentation is the Lentigines or Lentigo. These are small dark spots encircled by normal skin without any trauma. This condition is normally observed in all skin tones; however, lentigines are more noticeable in fair – skinned individuals. Men are more affected by this skin condition than woman.

Causes and risk factors that worsen the hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation can be caused or get worse by three main causes, that are as follows:

• Genetic predisposition: in this case, it could be inherited mutated genes that pass from one generation to another. One example of this is the birthmarks, which have been passed from generations to others.
• Sun exposure: hyperpigmentation caused by excessive sun exposure is due to the action of melanin, that in this situation absorbs the harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun, protecting our skin from its direct damage. However, the hyperpigmentation is a low key damage resultant from this.
• Hormonal changes: this is presented commonly in women, during pregnancy, as one of the side effects of the hormonal changes. The dark spots on women during pregnancy are due to the increased production of estrogens or progesterone, which leads to the pigment stimulation.

How to treat hyperpigmentation

There are two ways to treat hyperpigmentation: by conservative therapy or professional treatment. The first option is to have a skin care regimen that is specifically focused on hyperpigmentation. A conservative regimen may include one or more of these topical active skin lightening or skin brightening ingredients: hydroquinone (lightener); which is the gold standard product treating hyperpigmentation; azelaic acid, used especially on the treatment of post acne dark spots; kojic acid that inhibits the activity of tyrosinase, the main enzyme needed to produce melanin pigment; vitamin A; niacinamide (B3), known to improve the appearance of enlarged pores, uneven skin tone, fine lines, dullness, and vitamin C.

On the other hand, the most popular professional treatment of hyperpigmentation is the different chemical peeling agents. These agents are classified by the depth of penetration, i.e., very superficial to deep. A superficial agent will give excellent results for hyperpigmentation found in the top layers of the skin (epidermis). Pigmentation in the lower layers of the skin will need agents traveling into the dermis. Any penetration into the dermis should be done by a physician only.

There are many lasers that will give excellent results for hyperpigmentation. Since all lasers are not the same, medium to darker skin tones should seek a professional who is knowledgeable in pigmented skin.  

At Global Skin Solutions we have effective skin care solutions for hyperpigmentation

Our Natural Radiance products are formulated to specifically reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation for all skin tones. If you are looking for professional skincare products that offer a solution designed for you, please contact us by clicking this link to fill out our skin assessment form right on your computer. Then return this form by email, sending it to info@globalskin-solutions.com and one of our advisors will generate a clinical report regarding your skin type or condition, within 2-3 business days.

What are the main issues of Combination Skin and how to solve them?

Combination skin is one the most common skin types, regardless of its rare condition. But why? Next, we’ll discuss the characteristics, main problems and the skin care routine for combination skin.

The characteristics that define combination skin

First of all, combination skin has the characteristics of dry skin and oily skin combined, so this is where its name proceeds. But, how the areas of oily skin and dry skin are distributed in combination skin? Well, generally, individuals whom present with this skin type, tend to have an excessive production of oil on the T Zone (forehead, nose and chin), with the cheeks as the dry areas of their face.

Because of this, combination skin presents enlarged pores in the T Zone, and pores barely noticeable on the other areas of the face.

How the individuals with combination skin have to care for it

As you can see, individuals with combination skin have to deal with the issues of dry skin and oily skin. So, these individuals need a skin care routine that can control the excessive oiliness on the T Zone, and dryness of the cheeks.  

The best skin care routine for combination skin has to deliver a solution for comedones, dark spots and pimples, which periodically appear on the eve of critical days. So, at this point, it seems like an impossible mission to obtain such different benefits from one skin care routine. This is why, most of the times, individuals with combination skin end up by just using either a skin care regime designed for oily skin, forgetting the issues of the areas with dry skin, or the other way around.

The best active ingredients for the treatment of combination skin

Combination skin tends to be problematic at a young age, however, is not necessarily prone to suffer from early wrinkles as a sign of aging. Keeping this in mind as the other characteristics we described earlier, the products for this skin care regime should contain active ingredients that prevent dryness and excessive oiliness. Skin care products like toners need to be “zero alcohol”. Cleansers have to be gentle, and moisturizers have to be rich in natural emollient ingredients.

To cut oiliness, the best alternatives for combination skin are the same recommended for oily skin, such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, mandelic acid or beta-hydroxy acid.            

The most recommended ingredients to moisturize combination skin

The best ingredients to moisturize combination skin are the same as the ones listed for dry skin, like wheat germ oil, coconut oil, evening primrose oil, sweet almond oil, and vitamins A, C and E.

However, individuals with combination skin have to pick moisturizing lotions over creams. This way, this skin type will have the hydration needed, without increasing the oil production on the T Zone. Also, using a serum with glycerin, aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, papaya extract and cucumber extract ingredients are also highly recommended for combination skin. And, last but not least, this skin type also needs the UV factor protection, by using a good sunscreen.

If you have combination skin, you’ll get the solution that combines the best ingredients for you at Global Skin Solutions

At Global Skin Solutions, we know the challenges of the skin care for combination skin and its main problems. In this case, years of experience have helped us to create an efficient skin care routine for this skin type. If you are looking for a professional clinical skin care routine designed for you, please contact us sending an email to info@pamelaspringer.com, or visiting our online store at www.globalskin-solutions.com.