Everything You Need to Know About Treating It
In our last post, we explained exactly what hyperpigmentation is and its key triggers. In this follow-up post, we’re focusing on all the practical steps you can take to help fade excess pigment, even out your skin tone, and revive your natural radiance.
First up, you need to approach the issue with both patience and diligence; hyperpigmentation can be a stubborn condition to treat and near impossible to completely erase from your face.
There isn’t one miracle product that will eradicate excess melanin; for the best results, it’s all about regular maintenance and a plan based on a layered approach including:
1. Lifestyle
Before we even begin to talk about the cosmeceutical products and treatments that can help your hyperpigmentation, let’s look at the absolute basics: the lifestyle factors that contribute to this commonly experienced skin condition and the proactive habits you can and should adopt that will make a difference to not only treating that excess pigment but preventing it from worsening.
• Wear a high-protection, broad-spectrum sunscreen like Age Defence SPF50+ before you leave the house
Even in Winter when the UV index is low(er), UVA rays are always present, no matter what the weather.
• Protect your face, neck, and chest from direct sun exposure
When outdoors, make sure you wear a hat, sunglasses, and protective clothing and when indoors, be aware that UVA light penetrates windows.
• Ensure you’re eating a balanced diet
Avoid the protein-heavy diets that have been trending and ensure that you have balance and variety in your diet. Choose foods rich in Folic Acid like whole grains, nuts, and green, leafy vegetables as low levels of Folic Acid can lead to hyperpigmentation. Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables also help to repair and protect the skin from environmental factors like UV exposure and free radicals.
• Quit smoking
Smoking not only causes significant and permanent damage to the skin but it impairs its natural resilience and constricts the flow of oxygen to skin cells. If you want even, clear, radiant skin then giving up smoking is a non-negotiable.
2. Active Ingredients
Given the stubborn nature of hyperpigmentation, we recommend a cocktail of active ingredients that work together to slow melanin production, calm inflammation, boost cellular renewal, and refine skin tone and texture.
Chemical exfoliants like Glycolic and Lactic Acid, and botanical Vitamin A will help to lift darker pigment off the surface layer of the skin and make way for fresher, brighter skin cells. Calming antioxidants like resilience-boosting Resveratrol, Japanese Seaweed, and Magnolia Bark Extract can help to deal with the inflammatory nature of hyperpigmentation and settle those melanocytes into submission.
To take the guesswork and googling out of the treatment process, we’ve created a dedicated team — our Pigment Correction Collection — to help you improve your hyperpigmentation with an easy-to-follow skincare routine based on five proven performers.
3. Skin Needling
You’ve probably heard of skin needling to treat acne and acne scarring but you may not know how helpful it is at working to regulate hyperpigmentation. Tiny micro needles work to carefully break up the excess pigment below the skin’s surface and accelerate Collagen production and the natural healing process. At home you can incorporate DIY skin needling into your routine a couple of times a week to help refine and surface your skin tone and texture with our non-invasive, easy-to-use Skin Inject DNC Derma Roller. It’s a great preventative treatment to help support your skincare routine and allow your products to penetrate deeper into the skin.
For more persistent hyperpigmentation, we recommend investing in a course of professional skin needling treatments performed in a clinic by an experienced dermal therapist.
4. Brighten Up
Hyperpigmentation is incredibly effective at blocking your natural radiance. Those dark patches of pigment camouflage fresh, shiny new cells from taking the spotlight on your skin’s surface. Radiance, as your skin once knew it, pretty much retreats, your signature glow goes, and your complexion can start to look dull, lacklustre, and a little grubby. Give your at-home routine a boost with a professional skin-brightening treatment like microdermabrasion: it employs a manual device to effectively remove dead skin build up and exfoliate the skin to help the cellular renewal process.
Other treatment options you can consider for stubborn hyperpigmentation include a professional chemical peel or laser pigmentation removal. We offer a range of four different peels from the gentlest AHA Enzyme Peel to chemically exfoliate your skin to the more intensive Purple Peel. Through an in-person consultation, an experienced dermal therapist will be able to prescribe the perfect peel for your skin.