Trying to enjoy warmer weather can be frustrating when doing so aggravates skin issues, especially if you have a skin type that’s prone to oiliness, breakouts, and hyperpigmentation that take a toll on your confidence. Dark patches on your face, neck, and chest can occur due to hyperpigmentation or be a sign of other, unrelated blemishes and conditions like scars, birthmarks, actinic keratoses, or some forms of skin cancer. Hyperpigmentation, which often occurs after significant exposure to bright and sunny conditions, happens when the skin creates excess melanin, causing some areas to become darker than others. Some common examples include melasma, sunspots, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Even if the spots are determined to be benign, it’s now easier than ever before to minimize them if you don’t like the way they look. Other than treating the damage with an intense pulsed light treatment from our Philadelphia-area practice once summer is over, you can try other ways to reduce the stubborn discoloration and make uneven skin clearer quickly.
Remember, though, that any suspicious spot or lesion should be examined to determine whether it is potentially dangerous or not. For proven benign spots, try any of these remedies:
VITAMIN C
One simple way to clear up discoloration is to use vitamin C serums, creams, and lotions. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that has numerous anti-aging benefits for your skin. It also prevents melanin production, which could give your skin a more even appearance.
EXFOLIATION
Exfoliating at least once or twice a week with chemical exfoliants not only prevents pores from being blocked but also resurfaces the skin, making it look brighter and lightens dark marks.
HYDROQUINONE
Prescription strength hydroquinone is considered to be the most effective ingredient for minimizing hyperpigmentation as it inhibits the processes of the melanocytes in the skin that cause the dark spots to occur.
SUN PROTECTION
Protecting your skin from further damage will stop existing hyperpigmentation from becoming worse and reduce the chances of other marks from developing in the first place. Reduce the amount of time you spend exposed to sunlight. Wear hats, sunglasses, and other clothing as much as possible. Apply sunscreen, and do so thoroughly and often.
If you’re interested in having intense pulsed light in the Philadelphia area, our team at Chapin Aesthetics will explain everything you need to know about preparation and aftercare. Give us a call at (267) 880-0810 or fill out a contact form to request a consultation and find out whether you would make a good candidate.