Pigmentation, The Sun & Your Skin
I hope you have all managed to get your fix of Vitamin D from the sun, what a feel good factor the sun gives you. I have many clients coming in with pigmentation issues & thought I would share with you some of the differences & solutions for treating pigmentation issues.
What is hyperpigmentation ?
Discolouration of the skin or abnormal darkening. It is an overproduction of melanin from the melanocytes which travels up to the skin where you see the discolouration. There are several causes, the biggest being UV damage. You need protection against UVA & UVB, other causes are contraceptive pill & pregnancy.
What is Melasma ?
Melasma is similar to hyperpigmentation, but usually triggered by hormonal factors, be it thyroid dysfunction, pregnancy or hormonal contraception as well as genetic UV medications.
Melasma appears more in block formation, whereas hyperpigmentation has a more mottled appearance on the skin. It is prevalent more in women than men due to hormonal factors.
Melasma is harder to treat and will take longer to treat.
Skin Treatments
It is really important that you follow the following homecare advice where I recommend Skin Vit C from IIAA & broad spectrum SPF 30. We stock the incredible Sukin brand at the Salon which clients highly recommend (not in the online shop so do please pop in or email me to order). In addition to it being an excellent SPF it also containss NO oxybenzone & octinoxate which may be damaging to the coral reefs & sea life. The cream has an added benefit of having a subtle tint to give you a dewy glow which has been commented on a lot too!
Lastly, you can have a course of Energist VPL treatment. A full consultation will be given and a patch test done to make sure you can have the treatment.
Top Tips ….
To keep hyperpigmentation & melasma at bay it is not enough just to have a good SPF applied. If it is a sunny day, stay in the shade and wear a hat and make sure you pop the sunscreen close to the eye area and reapply your sunscreen about every 2 hours to avoid burning.
Of course a little sun is good for us too, sunshine boosts your natural happy hormones, particularly if combined with exercise & also help to improve psoriasis, acne & eczema.
Do please contact me if you would like a consultation regarding skin damage or pigmentation and the treatments we offer.