5. It helps fade hyperpigmentation. Since it impedes melanin production, vitamin C can actually fade hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation — including sunspots, age spots, and melasma — occurs when melanin is overproduced in certain areas of the skin.
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.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) plays an important role in maintaining skin health and can promote the differentiation of keratinocytes and decrease melanin synthesis, leading to antioxidant protection against UV-induced photodamage.
When vitamin C acts as a pro-oxidant, the consequences include irritation, inflammation, collagen and elastin breakdown, and acne. So if you have any of these skin ailments, and are using a vitamin C serum, then its time to re-think your regimen.
How do you know if your vitamin C serum is working? Corinthian says that if your vitamin C serum changes color, it might be time to throw it away. "When vitamin C is exposed to air, it oxidizes and changes its form into something that isn't as effective, and it doesn't work as well on your skin," he explains.
This increases the concentration of melanin in the epidermis, creating a temporary darkening of the spots. So, the darkening is what you want to see. It means the pigment is coming up and is ready to be shed away. You might be tempted at this point to over-exfoliate in an attempt to speed up the process even more.
Some cases of hyperpigmentation may never go away completely. If hyperpigmentation is caused by injury, then as the skin heals the discoloration will lessen as melanin is absorbed into the tissue surrounding the injury.
Hyperpigmentation is a harmless skin condition that people can get rid of using removal techniques such as cosmetic treatments, creams, and home remedies.
How long does it take for hyperpigmentation to fade? 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.
Vitamin C serums usually take longer than other serums to show results. But if used regularly, it will start showing results in four to twelve weeks.
Good (Skin) Days C's The Day Serum
Vitamin C moisturizers are also becoming more common, Dr. Lamb says, and you'd want to use those at the end of your skin-care routine. And if you're wondering if you can use vitamin C every day, the answer is yes.
The brightening properties of vitamin C also extend to fading dark spots and lightening hyperpigmentation. Vitamin C inhibits the pathway of abnormal production of skin pigments (melanin) to even out the skin tone and lightens dark spots, sun spots, acne scars, blemishes, and hyperpigmentation due to melasma.
A Vitamin C serum should be used in your bedtime routine and a couple of drops of it should suffice. Tap it on your skin using your fingertips and leave it on overnight. Wash your face in the morning and apply SPF to avoid any skin irritation.
If you are applying a Vitamin C serum and hyaluronic acid separately, it's suggested that you apply the Vitamin C first, and then add the hyaluronic acid afterward in order to help fortify the skin barrier and lock in the moisture.
Can You Use Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin C Together? Not all powerful skincare ingredients can be mixed, but hyaluronic acid and vitamin C are two that become even stronger when paired with one another. These ingredients can provide both immediate and lasting results when used together in anti-aging formulations.
AHAs and BHAs, such as glycolic, salicylic, and lactic acids should never be used with Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an acid, too, and is unstable, so the pH balance will be thrown off by layering these ingredients together and might as well be useless.
Might Lighten Dark Spots
Vitamin C-based skin care products may lighten patches that are darker than the rest of your skin, called hyperpigmentation. In one study, vitamin C applied to the skin for 16 weeks significantly cut down on these spots.
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.
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.
Hyperpigmentation isn't generally harmful and usually isn't a sign of a serious medical condition. In some cases, dark areas will fade on their own with good sun protection. In other cases, more aggressive treatment is needed. There's no guarantee that the dark spots will fade completely, even with treatment.