As much as we love the long, hot days of summer, the sun isn’t always our ally. Along with serious health concerns, harmful sun exposure also results in UV-related ageing in the form of wrinkles, slackness, and those pesky dark spots properly known as pigmentation.
Ask around and experts will say uneven skin tone can age your appearance by 20 years. So let’s get to the bottom of a skin concern that is at the top of most women’s beauty complaints.
What is it?
Our skin gets its colour from melanin. When skin cells become damaged, be it from hormonal changes, scarring or UVA exposure, it affects melanin production. This causes pigmentation, and more specifically hyperpigmentation – those dark, blotchy spots we dislike.
How can we prevent it?
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While it can’t always be prevented, some pigmentation can be avoided by remembering the basics: avoid the sun as much as possible and wear sunscreen every single day. While a high SPF sunscreen is one of your best forms of defence, it is important to remember it isn’t a complete block, so cover as much skin as possible and wear a hat.
Here’s how to treat it
There are so many treatments and products around that promise to fade – if not fully get rid of – pigmentation that it can be hard to know where to start.
“Many people don’t realise that pigmentation is something they can treat, and using laser is one of the most effective ways to treat it,” says Caci training academy manager Lisa Russell.
That is because pulsed light can penetrate the skin and target pigmentation in the underlying tissue. There are two laser procedures available: Variable Pulsed Light (VPL) and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL). While they are similar, VPL allows the user to switch the lamp on and off for a more targeted approach.
“The goal is actually treating or changing the way the skin cell behaves, and [laser] helps reduce the deposits of melanin in the skin,” says The Face Place skin team leader Lauren Harding.
But this isn’t an option for everyone: the best results are seen on light skin, where there is more of a contrast to the dark spots. Laser treatment usually requires four to six appointments. After, your skin may be more sensitive to sunlight, so this plan of attack is best started after summer.
Microdermabrasion is the other popular option. This treatment uses exfoliation to buff and resurface the texture of your skin. This is a good option for people with milder cases of pigmentation. The number of treatments needed varies so it’s best to consult a skincare professional to work out a plan that suits you.
Along with these in-salon procedures, the most impressive results are gained when treatment is combined with at-home skincare products.
From left to right: Estée Lauder Enlighten EE Even Effect Skintone Corrector SPF 30, $83. Elizabeth Arden Skin Illuminating Advanced Brightening Night Capsules, $160. Radical Skincare Multi Brightening Serum, $220.
The main ingredients you should be looking out for in your serums and moisturisers are vitamins A and C.
“These two vitamins are destroyed by high levels of UVA (the ageing rays), and our harsh sun and outdoor lifestyles make us more likely to have low levels in our skin,” says Dr Catherine Stone from The Face Place.
“Vitamin C not only helps mop up free radicals, it is integral in collagen production, which helps support the skin, and vitamin C has been proven to have a mild protective effect against sun damage.”
Other ingredients to look out for are alpha hydroxy acid (AHAs) that help cell turnover, and niacinamide, which stops the transfer of discolouration to surrounding cells.
“Niacinamide can help reduce transfer of melanosomes to the skin cells, hence can stop the production of excessive pigmentation, as well as improving the skin’s immune function,” says Dr Stone.
From left to right: Murad White Brilliance Illuminating Night Moisture, $112. Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution, $108. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Eventone Tone Perfecting Cream, $15.50.
Words by: Danielle lagos
Photos: Getty Images
