In dark skin tones, the greater concentration of melanin in the skin means hyperpigmentation is more common and takes longer to fade. Pigment production begins in the deeper layers of the skin and naturally rises to the surface where it concentrates until it is removed via the shedding of dead skin cells.
Yes. Active treatment accelerates cell turnover, pulling pigmented cells to the surface at a faster rate. This increases the concentration of melanin in the epidermis, which can create a temporary darkening of the spots. The darkening means the pigment is coming up and is ready to be shed away.
Dark spots, also known as hyperpigmentation, can happen year-round — but they get even worse when you're spending more time outdoors. “I counsel my patients that any dark spot will get darker [more quickly than your normal skin tone] in the sun,” says Dr. Elyse Love, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City.
For post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), without any treatment at all it can take anywhere from three months to two years for the discoloration to fade, depending on how dark the patches are, and even then it may not disappear completely.
Once what's causing the dark spots or patches is found and stopped, fading can take time. A spot that is a few shades darker than your natural skin color will usually fade within 6 to 12 months. If the color lies deep in your skin, however, fading can take years.
The biggest risk factors for general hyperpigmentation are sun exposure and inflammation, as both situations can increase melanin production. The greater your exposure to the sun, the greater your risk of increased skin pigmentation.
The condition is called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), and it's insanely common among all skin tones. The spots typically appear after your skin has experienced some type of inflammation (acne, mosquito bites, or other traumas).
Typically, these hyperpigmentation spots caused by a skin trauma go away on their own within a couple of months. Sun damage is exactly what it sounds like. Dark spots that occur from overexposure to the sun's UV rays.
Start with topical OTC whitening creams. “Treatments containing ingredients like vitamin C, licorice root, and kojic acid help reduce hyperpigmentation by inhibiting tyrosinase, an enzyme responsible for the formation of skin-darkening melanin," says Ni'Kita Wilson, a cosmetic chemist.
Pigmentation loss as a result of skin damage: If you've had a skin infection, blisters, burns, or other trauma to your skin, you may have a loss of pigmentation in the affected area. The good news with this type of pigment loss is that it's frequently not permanent, but it may take a long time to re-pigment.
Drink enough water
The benefits of staying hydrated are too many. Pooja suggests drinking at least 2-3 litres of water daily to fight pigmentation effectively. Drinking enough water will also help you ensure better skin health and keep dehydration at bay.
Excessive hydroquinone concentrations may induce toxic or shocking effects on melanocytes, forcing them to regroup and increase their melanin production (resulting in rebound hyperpigmentation).
It helps fade hyperpigmentation
Vitamin C inhibits melanin synthesis by downregulating the activity of an enzyme known as tyrosinase. It's widely used in dermatology for depigmentation of hyperpigmented spots on the skin.
Hyperpigmentation is a common condition that makes some areas of the skin darker than others. “Hyper” means more, and “pigment” means color. Hyperpigmentation can appear as brown, black, gray, red or pink spots or patches. The spots are sometimes called age spots, sun spots or liver spots.
What It Does: This potent antioxidant interferes with the production of pigment in the skin, fading dark spots. When You'll See Results: Once you add vitamin C to your skincare regimen, you may start seeing noticeable improvements in three weeks. It can help significantly fade hyperpigmentation in about two months.
When vitamin C is exposed to light it becomes unstable, the consequences include irritation, inflammation and acne. All of these can cause post inflammatory pigmentation, leaving you worse off than when you started.
L-cysteamine is a topical antioxidant that effectively evens hyperpigmentation. You can get it from some doctors' offices or online by prescription. Tranexamic acid can be taken as a pill or applied as a topical to improve melasma. It's an option for people who don't see improvement with other forms of therapy.
Lightening of the skin should be noticed within 4 weeks of initiation, if no change is seen in 3 months, contact your dermatologist for further recommendations. Side Effects: Normally hydroquinone is very well tolerated, however side effects may be seen.
Hydroquinone may be helpful in epidermal-type melasma. Concentrations vary from 2% to 10% and hydroquinone may be used twice daily for 12 weeks. Hydroquinone may cause local skin irritation, however, and thereby leading to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, making the skin pigmentation worse.
Hydroquinone may prove beneficial for a maximum of five to six months. Once you stop using it, you may experience irritation on the affected parts of your body. This may lead to inflammation. This inflammation may be dangerous as your skin then begins to build resistance to the treatment after a certain time.
"Among the most common are bleaching or fading creams, with ingredients such as hydroquinone, kojic acid, azelaic acid and retinoids. Additionally, light therapies such as IPL, or intense pulse light therapy, can accelerate the reversal of hyperpigmentation."