What Is Hyperpigmentation And How You Can Treat It.

Talk about adding insult to injury. Ever have a bit of a skin flare up, wait weeks for it to go away, only to be left with some nice dark spots to remember it by? We’ve all been there.

Dark spots (aka hyperpigmentation), whether caused by acne or by the sun, are a frustrating and all too common issue. But what causes these persistent spots? Let’s start with the acne related kind (aka post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation).

Any skin trauma such as cuts, acne, waxing, or friction will trigger something called melanogenesis, the process responsible for an increase in melanin (skin pigmentation) in the affected area. This increase in melanin is what becomes the dark spot.

Then when you expose these post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation areas to the sun, guess what? They get even darker due to the skin’s melanin production brought on by the UV exposure.

And while hyperpigmentation affects all skin tones, darker skin tones are more susceptible due the presence of increased melanin in the skin. And as we get older, hyperpigmentation becomes harder to treat because natural exfoliation slows down.

But there’s hope! There are lots of effective products to treat hyperpigmentation, including our “All Clear” Serum which is packed with ingredients that can help knock out spots. Here’s a few of our faves.

Arbutin 🍓
Arbutin is an organic compound derived from berries that is shown to inhibit the natural process that produces skin’s pigmentation. Other benefits included an overall more even skin tone and reduced levels of dark pigmentation.

Vitamin C 🍊
This is a key weapon in brightening tough spots. Vitamin C stimulates your skin’s natural collagen production, breaks up pigmentation and can help prevent future dark spots from forming.

Azelaic Acid 🌾
Azelaic acid is a naturally occurring acid that comes from barley, rye grains, and wheat. It has natural antibacterial properties and helps to loosen skin cells, speeding up exfoliation, a key to quickly brightening dark spots.

And while skincare products can certainly help reduce the look of hyperpigmentation, the best way is to prevent it in the first place. Keep your hands off any blemishes, avoid using products that are too aggressive for your skin and could cause irritation, and always wear SPF!