Hyperpigmentation is the name for dark spots on the face that can happen to anyone. These spots make our skin look darker than the rest of it. There are many things that can cause them, like being in the sun too long. Melanin is what gives our skin its colour. Our skin makes more melanin to protect us from the sun. But sometimes it’s too much, and that’s when those dark spots show up.
These spots aren’t usually dangerous, but some people would rather get rid of them than deal with the way they look. There are ways to help them go away, though. There are creams that we can use that have retinoids or vitamin C in them. We can also see a doctor, who can help us with things like chemical peels and lasers. We must always remember to keep our skin safe from the sun, though.
What is hyperpigmentation?
What do you know? Our skin can get darker in some places from time to time. It’s called discoloration that makes this happen. It’s when some parts of our skin get darker than the rest. Melanin is a special chemical in our skin that gives it colour.
Our skin makes more melanin to protect itself from the sun’s rays when we’re outside. But sometimes it makes too much melanin, which is why we have those dark spots. It seems like our skin is working hard to keep us safe in the sun!
Causes of Hyperpigmentation
- Time in the sun: The sun’s light can make our skin darker if we stay out in it for too long. In the same way, if we leave a marker drawing on paper in the sun, the colour dries out.
- Hormonal Changes: Moms’ skin can get darker in some places, like a mask, when they are pregnant or taking medicine to keep the babies from coming. It’s called melasma, and it makes our faces look like they have a mask on.
- Inflammation and Trauma: The body tries to heal itself after getting hurt on the skin, like when we get a cut, a burn, or even pimples. It does, however, sometimes leave a dark spot on the skin where it hurt, like a scar.
- Genetics: If someone in our family has had dark spots on their face in the past, we might also get them. The same way that we may have the same eye or hair colour as our parents because we got it from them.
Understanding Types of Hyperpigmentation
Dark spots or places on our skin can happen from time to time. Hyperpigmentation is the word for this. A lot of people get it, no matter what age or skin type they are. While it may make us angry or annoyed, it happens to a lot of people.
| Type | Description | Cause | Common Areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melasma | Patchy, brown discoloration on the face | Hormonal changes (pregnancy, birth control pills) | Forehead, cheeks, bridge of nose |
| Sunspots | Flat, dark brown spots | Sun exposure | Face, hands, shoulders |
| Post-inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH) | Dark spots or patches after inflammation | Skin injury (acne, eczema, psoriasis), burns | Varies depending on the cause |
| Age Spots | Small, brown spots that appear with age | Sun exposure | Face, hands, forearms |
Treatments for Hyperpigmentation
Topical Treatments
- Hydroquinone: This helps make our skin lighter. It keeps our skin from turning too many colours. It’s in face creams that we buy at the store or get from our doctors.
- Vitamin A acid: You need a certain vitamin called vitamin A. By getting rid of dead skin cells faster, they make our face smoother and better. This helps when our skin is too dark.
- Vitamin C that you put on your skin: Vitamin C is like a lifesaver for our skin! It keeps our skin from turning too many colours, which is good. It also helps our skin make collagen, which is good for our health and makes our skin strong. Vitamin C creams can help our skin stay nice.
Chemical Peels
Peels with chemicals are like magic for your face! They use certain liquids to make your face look fresh and shiny. It makes your face look great and gets rid of dark spots.
Laser Therapy
A laser treatment is like having superpowers for your face. They use certain lights to get rid of dark spots and make your skin smooth and even. It’s like having a secret tool to fight skin problems!
Microdermabrasion
It’s kind of like a tiny hoover for your face. It gets rid of dead skin cells gently, leaving your skin very soft and pretty. Plus, it makes your face feel great and gets rid of dark spots.
Skincare Tips for Hyperpigmentation
Some parts of our skin get darker than the rest of the time. This takes place because our skin makes too much melanin. Melanin is what makes our skin colour. This is when we can take care of our skin by doing the following:
- Sun Safety: We need to protect our skin from the sun. It’s like having armour on to keep us safe! We use sunscreen with at least SPF 30 every day, even when it’s cloudy. When we’re outside, we put it on again every two hours.
- Brightening serums: Dark spots can show up on our face from time to time. There are certain serums that can help make them lighter. Kratom and magic licorice are in these serums, and they work like fairy dust to make our skin smooth and bright.
- Gentle Exfoliation: The skin needs to get rid of old, dead skin cells so that new ones can grow in and shine. To help, let’s scrub our skin softly, but not too hard! We don’t want our skin to get red.
- Don’t Pick or Scratch: We shouldn’t poke those little spots when we see them! The same way you can’t pick flowers before they open; it will only make things worse. Let our skin heal itself by being gentle.
- Use a Gentle Cleanser: To wash your face, you should use a soap that feels like a cloud, not one that scrubs rough. Our skin won’t get mad at us because of this.
