June 13th, 2020

Hyperpigmentation bothers every one of us at some stage of our life, whether it is due to scarring, the sun, ageing or hormones. If you are already using products to improve your hyperpigmentation, or are considering treatments for it, we have put together some points that you should consider.

If pigmentation appears after starting a certain medication, you may wish to discuss alternative medication with your doctor. You may also want to check if you are having any phototoxic reactions with the use of certain cosmetics such as perfume, scented soaps, after-shave lotions, etc.

The skin is made up of different layers, split by the Epidermis and the Dermis. The Epidermis is the top layer while the Dermis sits deeper underneath. Excess Melanin can be found within either layer. It can sometimes be difficult to know how deep the pigmentation is. However, the information below can be used as a general guide.

Brown birthmarks - Deep pigmentation

Normal tanning - Surface pigmentation

Age spots - Can be both deep & surface pigmentation

Melasma - Can be both deep & surface pigmentation

Injuries (e.g. burns, cuts, abrasions) - Can be both deep & surface pigmentation

Acne scars - Mostly surface pigmentation

Active ingredients in the Alpha Hydroxy Acids family, such as Glycolic Acid, Phytic Acid, or Lactic Acid, gently remove dead skin cells and stimulate your skin cell renewal, hence they are very effective in fading surface hyperpigmentation.

Please be aware that physical exfoliation such as a face scrub can cause inflammation to the skin and may worsen post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Another advantage of using an AHA in your regimen - it improves the absorption of other active ingredients into your skin.

Check out Mesoestetic Brightening Peel Booster which has 10% Glycolic Acid and 2% Phytic Acid.

A brightening agent does what it says…it brightens the skin! More specifically, it evens out skin tone, lightens it, reduces visible flaws (including dark spots) and leaves your skin feeling nourished. Vitamin C has been known to inhibit Melanin production in the skin and restoring skin pigmentations to normal level.

We recommend Vitamin C in its pure form - Ascorbic Acid. Check out The Ordinary Vitamin C 23% Suspension + HA.

Strong, healthy skin dermal barrier prevents the skin from being easily irritated and inflamed. Not only inflammation could cause post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, but inflammation also makes pigmentation harder to treat.

Check out The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum.

Most ingredients discussed in this article work on the surface level of the skin. Retinol targets pigmentations in both the surface and dermal level. It is a form of Vitamin A that increases skin cell turnover from deep within, therefore it facilitates the breakdown of stubborn, hard-to-treat, deep pigmentations.

See how Mesoestetic Post-peel 1% Retinol Concentrate works.

Regardless of whether it is gloomy or grey outside, you should always put on a broad-spectrum sunscreen that provides both UVB and UVA protection. Successful treatment of hyperpigmentation relies on strict protection from both of these harmful rays coming out from the sun. It may only take a few minutes of sun exposure without adequate protection to undermine weeks of active treatment.

We recommend Mesoestetic Melan 130 Pigment Control with SPF 50+. It is a tinted sunscreen, so you don't need to worry about getting a white cast.

A complete skin cycle takes 5 to 6 weeks, this is a long time for the deepest layer of our skin to work its way through to the top. Target your pigmentations in different ways with different ingredients will ensure you see results at the end of the skin cycle.

For surface level hyperpigmentation,

For dermal level hyperpigmentation,

For acne scars,

Written by Brains Street