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Best skincare products for pigmentation skin
Skin pigmentation is caused by melanin, and melanin isn’t bad — in fact, melanin is a natural sunscreen, absorbing dissipating UV radiation from the sun and hence, protecting the skin cells from sunburn and photodamage. However, excess pigmentation can cause pigmentation issues, or the darkening of patches in the skin.
Read on to find out why this happens and how you can improve your skin care regime to manage pigmentation skin.
Symptoms of pigmentation
The symptoms of pigmentation include:
- Dark spots — Dark spots or age spots are harmless, dark or greyish patches in the skin. They are generally darker than the skin surrounding them.
- Patchy skin — This refers to discoloured patches of skin that can be hypopigmented, or lighter than the surrounding skin, or hyperpigmented, which is darker than the surrounding skin.
- Uneven skin tone — Uneven skin tones can show up as varying shades of colours along various parts of the body.
- Changes in skin texture — Changes in skin texture in varying shades and colours can be a symptom of pigmentation.
It’s important to pay attention to your body and observe the changes in your skin tone, especially patches that change shape and colour. This could be a sign of more serious conditions and may require further analysis with a medical professional.
Causes of pigmentation
The main causes of pigmentation include:
- Sun exposure — Sun damage is responsible for about 80% to 90% of skin damage, including ageing and pigmentation issues. Ultraviolet radiation caused by sun exposure leads to increased melanin production and darkening of the skin. Prolonged exposure can lead to uneven melanin production and, hence, hyperpigmentation.
- Melasma — Melasma refers to a skin condition where one experiences brown or grey patches around the face or skin, generally around areas exposed to the sun or around your t-zone.
- Inflammation — Pigmentation can be a result of inflammatory conditions such as acne, eczema or injuries, also known as post-inflammatory pigmentation (PIH). Inflammation can also damage the skin barrier, making it more susceptible to the sun’s UV rays, which could lead to further pigmentation issues.
- Medications — Some medications can stimulate the production of melanocytes, which are responsible for the production of melanin in the skin. Other medications also cause increased skin sensitivity, causing an increase in melanin production when exposed to UV rays.
- Genetic predisposition — Our genetic makeup can also play a part in pigmentation skin. We can be genetically predisposed to produce more melanin than others, and the ratio of the different types of melanin in our genes determines our skin colour, influencing overall pigmentation.
- Ageing — As we age, we may experience more photodamage over time, which can lead to pigmentation. At the same time, ageing also leads to decreased melanocyte production, causing an uneven distribution of melanin in the skin, which, in turn, leads to hyperpigmentation in certain areas. This is called solar lentigines or age spots.
- Skin conditions — Certain skin conditions can cause pigmentation issues such as Acanthosis Nigricans and Addison’s Disease.
- Post-procedure reactions — As part of our body’s natural wound healing response, more melanin may be produced in the area of the skin injury. In other cases, we can experience inflammation after certain laser treatments or chemical peels, causing pigmentation.
Essential components of a skincare routine
An uneven skin tone, or pigmentation, can be frustrating and take time to fade — this can greatly impact our confidence and self-esteem. Thankfully, there are several skincare routine practices you can adopt to treat pigmentation for a more even toned, healthy-looking skin.
Cleansing
Cleansing is the first and crucial step to every proper skincare routine. Thoroughly cleansing your skin can help remove impurities and prevent clogged pores, preventing any pigmentation issues from worsening and removing dead skin cells that contribute to pigmentation. Proper cleansing also ensures that topical skincare products applied after are more effectively absorbed by the skin.
Recommendations
- When it comes to cleansing products, opt for a gentle cleanser that helps balance your skin’s pH and is suited to your skin type.
- Avoid harsh chemicals such as sulphates, artificial fragrances and dyes, which can worsen inflammation and pigmentation.
Toning
- Toning improves your skin’s overall health. Not only does it help balance pH levels, it also primes the skin for the next steps of your skincare routine, while soothing and calming the skin. The less inflamed your skin is, the lower your chances of hyperpigmentation.
Recommendations
- Gently pat the toner into your skin with your palms twice a day; in the morning and in the evening.
- Avoid toners with harsh ingredients, and opt for alcohol-free and non-irritating products. These prevent your skin from drying out and becoming inflamed, hence, preventing your likelihood of worsening pigmentation.
- Opt for toners with brightening properties that inhibit melanin-production, such as niacinamide, vitamin C and kojic acid.
- After applying toner, remember to apply sun protection and adequately moisturise for optimal results.
Treatment serums
- Picking the right serum is a game-changer when it comes to treating pigmentation issues. Serums are highly potent, often specifically formulated in high concentrations to help treat specific issues. In this case, brightening serums can help even out skin tone and reduce hyperpigmentation.
Recommendations
- Look for serums specially formulated to treat dark spots, uneven skin tones and melasma, such as:
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid): Vitamin C works by inhibiting melanin synthesis by tempering the activity of an enzyme called tyrosinase. This, in turn, reduces pigmentation.
- Niacinamide or NIcotinamide (vitamin B3): Niacinamide helps lighten dark spots while protecting healthy skin cells from sun damage, reducing pigmentation. It can also help your skin develop a lipid barrier, which helps the skin retain moisture and lower inflammation caused by dryness.
- Tranexamic acid: Tranexamic acid blocks melanin production which in turn reduces hyperpigmentation.
- Use stronger serums at night and milder serums in the morning.
- Remember to apply sunscreen at the end of your morning skincare regime, especially if you use serums that inhibit melanin production.
Moisturising
- Moisturisers deeply hydrate and nourish your skin’s natural barrier, helping prevent further pigmentation. They also soothe skin and prevent other inflammatory skin conditions, such as acne and scars, which can lead to hyperpigmentation.
Recommendations
- Pick moisturisers that not only hydrate, but have added benefits that support skin health and have brightening effects. These include antioxidants and soothing agents.
- Opt for non-comedogenic moisturisers to prevent acne breakouts.
Sun protection
Sun protection is paramount when it comes to preventing further pigmentation issues, making it a crucial part of your morning skincare regime. UV exposure also stimulates the production of more melanin, causing further darkening.
If your skin already suffers from pigmentation issues, further UV exposure can cause more damage and hyperpigmentation, making sun protection with an appropriate sunscreen extremely important.
Recommendations
- Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen (that protects against both UVA and UVB rays) with at least SPF 30 or higher.
- Apply this everyday after moisturiser, and re-apply after every 2 hours.
- Use sun protective clothing or hats to provide further sun protection.
Exfoliation
Exfoliation is a wonderful addition to your skincare regime for combatting pigmentation. It physically removes dead skin cells and promotes cell turnover to reveal the brighter, more even skin tone underneath. Exfoliation also enhances skin texture and prevents clogged pores which could potentially cause inflammation and skin pigmentation.
Recommendations
- Pick the right exfoliating product based on your skin type and skin sensitivity. It also helps to use an exfoliant formulated specially for other skin issues you may have.
- Exfoliate 1 to 2 times a week.
- Avoid over-exfoliating to prevent aggravating your skin and worsening pigmentation issues.
- After exfoliating, always remember to apply sunscreen in the morning to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
- Chemical peels are a great option for exfoliating the surface layer of the skin and lightening hyperpigmentation.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants help with oxidative stress by preventing oxidative stress in the skin, which can cause inflammation and hyperpigmentation. They also have anti-inflammatory properties that indirectly inhibit melanin production.
Recommendations
- Antioxidant ingredients can be incorporated into every step of your skincare routine, from serums to your moisturisers and sunscreen.
- Preventing environmental damage to your skin can help prevent further pigmentation issues for a more even complexion.
Melasma Peel Facial
SkinLab’s Melasma Peel Facial is a 90-minute treatment developed specially for treating pigmentation and skin discolouration issues such as melasma, freckles, sun spots and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
It uses a patented blend of medical-grade AHAs and active ingredients to inhibit melanin production and brighten the skin. It also encourages cell turnover and smooths wrinkles and fine lines, while providing deep hydration needed for a rejuvenated complexion.
Skin pigmentation treatment in Singapore
Although pigmentation generally does not pose any serious health risks, it can still significantly impact your self-esteem and take a toll on one’s confidence. Thankfully, it can be managed with the right skincare routine and skin pigmentation treatments.
The first step starts with getting to the root cause of your pigmentation issues. Book a consultation with us today for a thorough skin analysis and personalised treatment plan!