Let's talk about hyperpigmentation

It is time to give some tips or hyperpigmentation, it is something a lot of people struggle with, I have not struggled with it, but I do know a lot of people who have. I personally think I never struggled with it because I have always been applying and reapplying sunscreen because if I don´t to that I turn into a beet, which is not fun.

So, what is hyperpigmentation? It occurs when the skin produces melanin, which is the pigment that gives your skin color. This can make some spots or patches of skin appear darker than other areas on your skin.  

Hyperpigmentation is a really common thing; it affects people with all skin types. Some forms of hyperpigmentation including melasma and sunspots are more likely to affect areas of skin that are exposed to the sun, which people be arms, legs, and face.

Other types of hyperpigmentation form after an injury, or skin inflammation, such as cuts, acne, and burn. These can of course occur anywhere on your body.

But how do we get rid of hyperpigmentation and how to prevent it from happening?

Although hyperpigmentation is completely harmless, some people want to get rid of it and there are luckily a bunch of things you can do to prevent it.

-       Avoid exposure to the sun. use a sunscreen with at least an SPF of 30, I always use 50 this will prevent the hyperpigmentation from getting darker. But do remember reapplying your SPF throughout the day.

-       Avoid picking at the skin. To prevent hyperpigmentation from forming after an injury, try to avoid picking at spots, acne, and scabs.  

Here are a few ingredients you should try using if you want to get rid of hyperpigmentation faster, note that you should not use all of them, just pick some.  

-       Kojic acid

-       Retinoids

-       Retinol

-       Vitamin c

-       Niacinamide

-       Azelaic acid

-       Licorice root (it is proven to be skin brightening, so it can help brighten your hyperpigmentation)  

You can also get some cosmetic procedures done to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation it might be a bit faster than using the ingredients I mentioned below, but it will also be a lot pricier.  

-       Laser therapy

-       Intense pulsed light

-       Microdermabrasion

-       Chemical peels (this one will not be good if you have sensitive skin, I speak from experience)

I do recommend you speak to a professional before you get any of this done, just to know if your skin can handle it or not.