Do you see dark patches on your skin? Skin discoloration can give you a nightmare (a living one). This could be hyper pigmentation.
Hyper pigmentation is an unpleasant skin condition that millions have to deal with all over the world.
The condition worsens during summer when the intense heat and the hyper pigmentation make for a horrible mix. But, here’s a little problem: people with hyper pigmentation also want to enjoy the warm sunshine throughout the year, especially the winter season.
Here’s an informative article that talks about hyper pigmentation and how you can manage it.
Understanding Hyper pigmentation
Hyper pigmentation is a condition in which there are patches on the skin. These patches can come in various colors like gray, black, or brown and are usually a result of a higher level of melanin production in the skin. As you might have known, melanin is a pigment produced by special cells in the skin.
Because of the uncomfortable and unappealing appearance of the condition, many people get worried and spend a lot of money in the process. Let’s not forget women who get depressed due to skin problems. In short, hyper pigmentation can be a very challenging condition for many people – everything that comes with it.
The Types
There are various types of hyper pigmentation, which include:
- Melasma
- Age Spots
- Post-inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
The question is – Why does it happen?
Causes of Hyper pigmentation
In some instances, the condition itself can be a manifestation of another condition like Melasma, which leads to the formation of patches in various parts of the body. It can also be a symptom of other conditions like psoriasis, eczema, or even acne.
Fluctuations in the production of hormones can also lead to hyper pigmentation. Hormones like progesterone and estrogen are known for increasing the level of melanin in the body. There are also genetic factors that influence the overall process. Excessive exposure of the skin to the sun can also cause hyper pigmentation.
Ways to Manage Hyper pigmentation
Hyper pigmentation itself is not the biggest problem, but not knowing how to manage it. Some get confused when summer comes, and they see all these patches all over the skin, and their holiday plans become ruined already. However, it does not have to be like that because there are steps that you can take to manage the condition.
The management of hyper pigmentation can be generally classified into four techniques. These include exfoliation, which boosts the turnover of cells, protects the skin from inflammatory processes and the sun’s harmful rays and controls melanin production.
Moreover, brightening and clearing gels are available to help with hyper pigmentation.
Let’s take a look at the steps that can help you manage this skin condition:
– Exfoliation
It is good if you can do exfoliation once or two times a week. This will help remove the dead skin cells and, in the process, also assist with the shedding of hyper pigmented cells while also increasing the rate of speed of healing.
The best substances for exfoliation when managing the condition are chemical exfoliants. This is because they can penetrate the skin a lot better than physical exfoliants.
– Protection from Inflammation
Look at the label of products. You will find the beneficial ingredients there. If you wish to get protection from inflammation, watch for ingredients like vitamin E, resveratrol, and Centella Asiatica (Gotu kola).
– Protection from the Sun
Making use of sunscreen is not just for the warm days on the beach. This is one of the most crucial steps you can take when it comes to hyper pigmentation management. Sunscreen is also needed for the healing of the skin that is hyper pigmented.
– Inhibition of Melanin Production
Hyper pigmentation changes the production level of melanin in the skin, so making use of skin-brightening products will help in this regard.
Note – You can also use natural skin-lightening ingredients like lemon, potato peel, tomato, oatmeal, and yogurt. Since nobody has the time to mix the ingredients and apply them daily, the lightening creams and gels are a better pick.
Concluding Thoughts
We all love to have supple, even-tone, and good-looking skin, but hyper pigmentation ruins it all. But there are ways to manage the skin condition, so it is not all doom and gloom. This piece has outlined all the steps, so make sure you follow it religiously.