What is skin hyperpigmentation and what causes it?

What is skin hyperpigmentation and what causes it?

Everyone dreams of beautiful, smooth, hydrated skin, with an even and radiant complexion. Unfortunately, it often happens that our skin is not in the condition we want it to be. We're sure you've noticed little brownish spots, either on yourself or someone else. The official term for these brown spots, as well as other forms of skin discoloration, which are summarized under one term is - hyperpigmentation.

Unlike freckles, hyperpigmentation doesn't go away in the winter, and unfortunately becomes more visible as we age. In this material, we will tell you more about what hyperpigmentation is, what causes it, and how you can deal with the spots that have already appeared, as well as how to prevent the appearance of new ones.

What is hyperpigmentation?

Uneven skin tone, called hyperpigmentation, is irregular darker patches or areas on the skin. The reason - overproduction of melanin, which is the pigment responsible for skin and hair color. Here's what you can do to combat uneven skin tone.

Dark spots are usually caused by UV rays, pollution, hormonal changes or inflammation. Daily use of sunscreen, skin exfoliation and the right ingredients in your skin care can lighten dark spots and restore your skin's natural complexion.

The resulting dark spots and areas are commonly perceived as "aged skin" and in some cases can make you look more than 20 years older.

What causes dark spots and uneven skin tone?

Sun exposure: When your skin is repeatedly exposed to ultraviolet light, sun damage occurs. The formation of excess melanin in the skin is a natural defense mechanism against the sun damage that can occur from this exposure. Dark spots and uneven skin tone develop as a result of too much melanin produced during this protective process.

Pollution: Particles and exhaust gases from traffic-related air pollution can penetrate the skin and become fixed in the deeper structure of the skin. This oxidizes the surrounding tissue and leads to free radical damage, triggering an inflammatory response that leads to the formation of dark spots, especially on the face.

Hormones: Melasma is a hormone-related hyperpigmentation caused by a hormonal imbalance. It is most common in women who are pregnant (and is also known as the "mask of pregnancy") or taking birth control pills, but it can also be a reaction to cosmetics or medications.

Inflammation: Any injury to the skin, whether it's a wound, a break, or even the result of a medical treatment like "resurfacing" or laser hair removal, can cause damage or overstimulation of melanocytes. This leads to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), a discoloration of the skin due to scarring that can be caused by acne or other skin damage.

How to deal with hyperpigmentation?

You don't have to spend a fortune on laser treatments and prescriptions. There are ways to safely and non-invasively lighten dark spots, for a more even skin tone:

Apply sunscreen daily. Unprotected sun exposure is the biggest culprit for hyperpigmentation. Applying a broad-spectrum SPF sunscreen or moisturizer is the easiest way to prevent new dark spots. A tip from the Sunlike team - look for an SPF product that also contains ingredients that will spare your skin and introduce products that help lighten dark spots, such as niacinamide, into your routine.

Exfoliate your skin. Treat existing hyperpigmentation by first removing dead surface skin cells. This paves the way for the ingredients in your serum and moisturizer to penetrate the skin better. Tip: Look for a gentle micro-exfoliant that you can use daily, we recommend going for a specialist product that is gentle enough for the skin on the face.

Use the right ingredients. Look for products that contain activated charcoal, which is known to help remove pollutants, oligopeptides, hexylresorcinol, niacinamide, and zinc glycinate to be your companions and help control melanin production. Last but not least, retinol, which will speed up the skin recovery process.

Be patient and don't despair. There is no quick fix when it comes to dark spots and uneven skin tone. Traditionally, it takes at least 30 days of careful skin care before you see any progress. Lightening dark spots can take time, so don't give up.

Hyperpigmentation can appear suddenly. Uneven skin tone and dark spots are some of the hardest to deal with, but don't worry, there is a solution available.

Treatment depends a lot on how deep the skin damage is. You will usually need to treat the pigmentation with fruit acid or laser, in combination with effective and protective home care products.

The first step in the right direction is a high SPF sunscreen, preferably SPF 40 or 50 on the face to protect against harmful UV rays that will worsen pigmentation.

We at Sun Like recommend you to find the right sun protection product for your skin, which protects against the sun's rays, which influence the change of condition of your skin. Check out our product range on our website. If you need assistance, we are at your disposal.