Introduction
Hyperpigmentation, according to the Olay website, is a condition marked by an increase in melanin due to aging, overexposure to the sun, and other causes as well. It causes the skin to become discolored, and can cause much embarrassment. However, there are several methods that have been developed to treat hyperpigmentation of the skin. The correct treatment for you may not be effective for the next person. So the key is to visit your dermatologist, and work out a treatment plan that is specific to you. There are a number of factors that cause this condition. A number of them, along with the available methods to treat hyperpigmentation, are discussed below.
Dryness
One of the causes of hyperpigmentation is dryness. In order to remain healthy, your skin needs sufficient moisture. Unfortunately, such factors as the weather, and even some soaps you use, can cause a deprivation of the moisture the skin needs to protect it from the elements. In the presence of dryness, the surface skin cells flatten, and they may even curl up. According to the Olay website, this leads to an unevenness of microtexture.
One of the factors of hyperpigmentation due to the weather is the sun. If you're given to spending hours soaking in the sun's rays, your skin may become hyperpigmented due to sunspots. One preventative measure to take is to wear sunscreen if you know you are going to spend hours outside on a sunny day. It doesn't matter what your complexion color, or race, happens to be, the wearing of sunscreen is always a best practice, any time of year.
Another factor that can lead to the dryness that can, in turn, cause hyperpigmentation is the winds of winter. During wintertime, the skin can become dry. A good lotion or petroleum jelly can work wonders when the temperature plummets during this time of year.
Inadequate Exfoliation
Another factor that causes hyperpigmentation is inadequate exfoliation. In order to keep your skin healthy, you need to exfoliate it on occasion. Exfoliation involves gently scrubbing away dead skin cells, so that newer, healthier skin can be revealed. To accomplish this task, you can use a number of soaps. According to HowStuffWorks.com,you should only use those with natural ingredients, and avoid those with abrasive chemicals, such as alpha hydroxy and salicylic acids. These are too harsh for the skin, and although they are effective, their side effects are irritation, along with the dryness that led to the problem in the first place. Instead, use soaps with ingredients such as oatmeal, salt, finely ground seeds and sugar. These also serve to remove dead skin cells, and, since they are natural, treat your skin more gently.
Surface Damage from Aging
Another key cause of hyperpigmentation is the free radicals involved in the natural aging process. Overtime, free radicals invade the skin, oxidizing the lipids, or fats, that are in the skin. According to the Olay website, as a result, parts of the skin darken or begin to turn yellow.
Treatments
There are several options to treat hyperpigmentation. These vary, depending on what causes hyperpigmentation for you, the severity and other patient-specific factors.
According to skin expert Jacqueline Jase, the creator of the Jacqueline Jace Face and Body Center, bleaching creams are an option to treat hyperpigmentation. One such cream,
hydroquinone, can be applied to the affected area daily for several months, in cycles. As Jase warns, however, do not use any bleach on your skin for too long. It could prove damaging to your skin, rather than helpful.
If you're looking for a product containing hydroquinone to treat your hyperpigmentation,
Procelain Skin Whitening Serum Hydroquinone Kojic Acid Glycolic Acid Vitamin C Licorice Mulberry Extract for Melasma, Hyperpigmentation 2oz
may be right for you. It's formulated to minimize skin discoloration, including hyperpigmentation and melasma, as well as freckles, sun spots and age spots.
Another method used to treat hyperpigmentation may be laser therapy. In this treatment, a dermatologist will direct a pulse light specifically at a certain area of your skin affected by hyperpigmentation. However, Jase warns that these treatments can prove quite expensive, and several of them may be required to successfully treat your condition.
There is another type of laser used to treat hyperpigmentation: a resurfacing laser. What this type of treatment does is to resurface the skin. It seeks to remove the skin with the discoloration on it, revealing the healthier, younger skin underneath. This can be quite damaging to the skin at least temporarily, and may mean an extended recovery time as well.
Yet another method used to treat hyperpigmentation is microderma-
brasion. The goal of this treatment is to remove the spots that hyperpigmentation has produced, by resurfacing the skin. According to Plasticsurgery.org, it uses a diamond-tipped want to remove the epidermis,or outer layer of the skin, and to promote new skin growth. It helps thicken your collagen, which is a vital protein in the skin that keeps it looking younger by keeping the skin tight and smooth. As a child, you had a lot of this protein. Its production diminishes as you age.
Conclusion
Before attempting to treat yourself by any of the methods discussed above, it's best to consult a dermatologist. Your condition could be due to an underlying melanoma, or skin cancer, which could claim your life if left to grow and spread unchecked. Your doctor will run thorough tests to ensure that the hyperpigmentation is not due to a malignancy and is treatable by one of the methods I have mentioned.
Sources:
Facial Plastic Surgery.net: Hyperpigmentation
http://www.facialplasticsurgery.net/hyperpigmentation.htm
Jase, Jacqueline. "Hyper Pigmentation, Causes, Symptoms and Treatments." Posted May 4, 2011.
http://jacquelinejase.com/2011/05/hyper-pigmentation-causes-symptoms-and-treatments/
Olay.myskinanalysis.com: What is Hyperpigmentation and What Makes Skin Susceptible To It?" In "Skin Care Articles About Sunspots."
http://olay.myskinanalysis.com/What-Causes-Hyperpigmentation.php
Palamon, Jamie. "How to Exfoliate Skin." In "HowStuff Works.com
http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/cleansing/tips/how-to-exfoliate-skin.htm
Plasticsurgery.org: Microdermabrasion Treatments
http://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/microdermabrasion.html