Everyones guide to Hyperpigmentation & Sun Damage
We all love to feel the warm sun on our skin especially after our cold dark Canadian winters. Unfortunately the sun is the number one cause of premature ageing. Not only is ageing an issue, but sun exposure can also lead to skin cancer. The sun can also cause permanent changes in the small blood vessels of the face which attributes to redness and rosacea. Freckles are cute and fresh looking when your a kid, however they are also a sign of sun damage and tend to worsen over time with ongoing sun exposure during our life time.
Lets dive into what's behind the pesky dark spots that cause uneven skin tone and bother us more and more as our skin matures.
Hyperpigmentation is the darkening of an area of skin caused by an increase of melanin which is the pigment that gives us our skin colour. Increased melanin can be caused by sun damage, hormones, age and skin injuries that cause inflammation, like acne.
The most common types of hyperpigmentation are sun spots, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation and melasma. In some cases, one or more of these conditions can exist simultaneously. The most important step in treatment is having a full skin consultation with a professional who has experience recognizing each form of hyperpigmentation.
Sun Spots are exactly what they sound like! Damage from the sun - we are very luck to have great treatments for this. By blending Lummeca Intense Pulse Light technology, Hydrafacial Brightening Treatment (coming soon!) and SkinCeuticals Sun Spot / Age Spot Routine this type of sun damage can be treated very effectively and prevented from returning with ongoing sun protection and repeat treatment. This is the easiest of all hyperpigmentation's to treat.
Melasma is believed to be cause by hormonal changes and commonly appears during pregnancy, many women call it the pregnancy mask. Melasma can also be caused by birth control pills and hormone therapy. The nose, forehead, upper lip, cheeks and chin can be affected. Melasma does not cause any health issues but often causes psychological distress in women and men with this condition.
Melasma is notoriously difficult to treat due to the hormonal influence on the skin. Treatments like Lumecca, chemical peels and microneedling need to be approached with care and on an individual basis due to the potential of worsening the condition. The best approach for melasma is daily SPF 50 like SkicCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defence and the integration of the SkinCeuticals Melasma Routine. Hydrafacials (coming soon!) are an excellent way to clean, nourish and brighten the skin without the risk of worsening the condition. A long term treatment approach is needed for melasma.
Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation also know as PHI is dark spot left behind by an inflammatory wound in the skin. Most commonly on the face as pigmented acne scaring. These melanin rich marks can be red, brown, purple, or black depending on your skin tone and the depth of the discoloration. These marks can happen to anyone but are more common in medium to dark skin tones.
Medical grade skin care is the first step in treating these marks. SkinCeuticals Acne Scarring PHI Routine is the perfect place to start. As always, a non negotiable in your skin care routine needs to be an SPF 50 which will prevent further darkening of these spots from sun exposure. Hydrafacial (coming soon!) combined with Lumecca intense pulse light treatments will help to lighten pigmentation when combined with a targeted skin care routine.
At Flirt Cosmetics Studio we are committed to guiding you through the often confusing landscape of skin care and treatments. We have done our research and brought in the experts to provide the best skin care on the market as well as award winning treatment modalities that paired together make for results that are measurable and achievable. We are a results driven enterprise and our team is here to help you achieve the skin you have always wished for. Visit our website to book your appointment!