4 Tips for Hyperpigmentation Treatment
While the term hyperpigmentation might be foreign to many of us, it refers to things we have all suffered from, and know all-too-well! Hyperpigmentation is extremely common, and relatively harmless condition in which patients will experience darkened patches or small areas of their skin developing brown spots, as a result of excess melanin. For those seeking hyperpigmentation treatment, it is important to understand where it comes from first. Melanin is an essential compound, present in all of our skin. It is a brown color pigment, responsible for providing us with out natural skin color – darker individuals have more melanin, than their farer skinned counterparts. A common form of hyperpigmentation is known as age spots or liver spots, appearing as dark patches of brown skin along the face or body. Again, these issues are a result of excess melanin production, which can occur for a variety of reasons, the most common of which being overexposure to the sun and its harmful UV rays. Considering this, a key aspect of age spot treatment or liver spot treatmentis to avoid direct sunlight to the area in question – as the higher concentration of melanin in the area attracts the sunlight to the area a lot more than the other parts of the skin. While it might seem counterintuitive, this is the body’s own defense mechanism. By tanning the skin, it helps protect from issues such as skin cancer, and solar lentigines. Applying sunblock or sunscreen to such areas rich in melanin can also help – this is a form of age spot treatment that prevents overexposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays. This is of paramount importance, as these areas are already susceptible to UV rays, and while it is harmless in the early stages, further exposure can cause the condition to advance. To better equip you to deal with your hyperpigmentation treatment issues, here are 5 important tips from the team at Goals Plastic Surgery.
· Avoid Too Much Contact
This is one of the most common tips for liver spot treatment, as well as other skin conditions like acne and melasma. While it might be extremely tempting, especially with bumps or more raised hyperpigmentation areas, it is important to avoid contact with your hands. Scratching or picking at the area will only cause issues like inflammation and cause even more skin discolorations than before. in addition, those needing hyperpigmentation treatment are often more susceptible to tender, easily broken skin. And bacteria from your hands can easily be transmitted to the area, causing infections, acne, or other complications.
· Stay Moisturized
One of the simplest tips for age spot treatment is to keep the area, and your skin as a whole, well moisturized. As our skin ages, it loses valuable collagen, vital to our skin’s look, feel, and overall hydration. As this depletes, things like age spots and other hyperpigmentation can develop. In addition, a moisturizer containing elements of hyaluronic acid or retinol, can boost cellular turnover and resurface the skin – peeling off the hyperpigmentation and leading to the production of fresh, new skin cells in its place. Look for moisturizers that are natural and might even have ingredients that can brighten the skin as well.
· Skin Brightening Creams
As stated in the previous tip, many moisturizers have elements that can help to lighten or brighten the skin. Some moisturizers are even meant for things like age spot treatment or liver spot treatment. These moisturizers will usually contain elements like vitamin C, licorice root, and kojic acid. These liver spot treatment moisturizers work by slowing the production of an enzyme known as tyrosinase – which is responsible for the formation of excess melanin in the skin.
· Visit Your Physician for Hyperpigmentation Treatment
When topical creams and OTC products simply aren’t proving effective enough, some of the best forms of hyperpigmentation treatment are exclusively available from a board-certified dermatologist or even a plastic surgeon, like Dr. Voskin of Goals Plastic Surgery, one of the top plastic surgeon NYC currently has in practice. They will be able to provide you with prescription strength topical creams and ointments, as well as non-invasive skincare treatments such as chemical peels, laser skin resurfacing or microdermabrasion. These treatments can boost collagen levels and stimulate cellular turnover to replace the melanin-rich area with fresh, new, skin cells.
