Home > Beauty > Skin > How To Deal With Hyperpigmentation (Aka Pregnancy Mask) Post author By The Mum Club Post date 11 September 2023 How To Deal With Hyperpigmentation (Aka Pregnancy Mask) The Mum Club11 September 2023 Dark spots and patches appeared on your face? These are the best ways to reduce them. What Are the 3 Different Types of Hyperpigmentation? Age spots Melasma, which is hormone-related. Post-inflammatory trauma that can come from injuries, sun exposure or skin conditions like acne. What Causes a Pregnancy Mask? Gah! Another joyous side effect of pregnancy. Often associated with fluctuating hormones, Pregnancy Mask aka Melasma is a condition which causes brown spots on the skin. Melasma is most common in people of Hispanic, Asian, African, or Middle Eastern descent. As well as pregnancy it is also associated with the menopause, oral contraceptives, and sun exposure. And you’ll usually find patches and spots on the forehead, nose, cheeks, and around the lips. Why are Darker Skins Prone to Melasma? Melasma occurs when melanocytes produce too much pigmentation in the skin, resulting in dark patches. And because people with black or brown skin have more melanocytes (*which gives your skin a darker and delicious colour). This means they are more likely to develop Melasma than people with lighter complexions. Because these skin tones are less likely to burn, it’s a common misconception that they can forgo an SPF. Because they are more prone to hyperpigmentation, if they want to avoid it, they need to use an SPF to prevent dark patches and also help to fade existing ones.” Will My Pregnancy Mask Fade on Its Own? Yes, possibly! As your hormones change, women often find that the patches diminish independently, and they can go on their own after a few months post-birth! Consultant Dermatologist Dr Natalia Spierings of Channel 5’s Skin A&E says, “Don’t try to treat it during pregnancy – there are no effective treatments for Melasma that are considered safe in pregnancy or breastfeeding. So, I suggest you don’t bother. Wait until you can use the right, effective treatments rather than wasting time and money (and getting frustrated) using ineffective cosmetic skincare products that don’t work. It’s never too late to treat Melasma. The treatments will almost certainly always be available.” So maybe wait a while and see what your skin does on its own! The Best Ways to Treat Hyperpigmentation There’s no one magical treatment which will eradicate dark spots on its own. And like everything it takes a bit of effort. A three pronged attack of 1) exfoliating dead and discoloured cells, 2) replenishing and encouraging collagen and cell production, and 3) suppressing melanin production – is the best way to reduce hyperpigmentation. Varying skin tones should be treated differently too! Paler skin tones are more susceptible to getting patches via sun damage and should prioritise sun protection to prevent further damage. And those with darker skin tones are more prone to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (skin injury). Which means a gentler approach is advisable. If you have darker skin then try to avoid aggressive treatments that might irritate the skin. Exfoliate Old Pigmented Cells Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask Chemical exfoliators or peels using Glycolic, Azelic or Lactic acid promote rapid skin cell turnover. And will help remove discoloured skin cells. Buy it now By Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Prep Water If your skin is sensitive, which is often the case after pregnancy, you might get on better with Mandelic Acid – which is known as the gentle exfoliator. Buy it now Optimise Skin Function La Roche-Posay Niacinamide B10 Serum Once you’ve exfoliated the dead skin layers and discoloured cells, you need to replenish the skin and give it a helping hand with some skincare hero ingredients like Niacinamide *Vitamin B and Retinol *Vitamin A. Buy it now Medik8 Intelligent Retinol Supercharged Vitamin A Serum Both Retinoids and Niacinamide can reduce the appearance of dark spots. This is because they can decrease melanin production and increase collagen production. If your skin can take it and you’re not pregnant or breastfeeding, start with an entry-level strength product, such as Medik 8 Intelligent Retinol 3TR twice a week for the first two weeks, then once every other night for another two weeks and then nightly application. Once your skin has built up a tolerance to the ingredient, you can move on to a higher-strength Vitamin A. Buy it now Reduce Melanin Production The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA Serum Treatments containing ingredients like Vitamin C, Licorice Root, Alpha Arbutin, and Kojic Acid, help reduce hyperpigmentation by inhibiting tyrosinase, an enzyme responsible for the formation of skin-darkening melanin. Buy it now Exuiviance Vitamin C Serum Capsules A Vitamin C serum is an excellent tool for tackling pigmentation as it can block some of the pathways that cause pigmentation. But with so many on the market, how do you know which is the best one? Look for a Vitamin C percentage of 15-20%, as this is shown to be the sweet spot, especially for darker skin types. Buy it now Other Ways to Combat Hyperpigmentation Microneedling Helps stimulate collagen production, and it can even improve Melasma and other hyperpigmentation disorders. Fractora is a non-invasive skin treatment used to treat fine lines, wrinkles, loose skin, hyperpigmentation, and scarring. It uses radiofrequency energy combined with tiny micro-pins to stimulate collagen regeneration. Laser You have to tread carefully with laser treatments as they can sometimes cause inflammation and damage to the skin, which can worsen pigmentation, especially on darker skin. ADVATx is a new non-ablative resurfacing treatment that can help with texture and tone irregularities and the signs of ageing and doesn’t cause trauma to the skin. The treatment emits lights deep into the skin to encourage cell production and reduce discolouration. It is also heralded as the safest and most effective laser for dark skin tones, as it has been approved for use on all Fitzpatrick scale skin types. ADVATX LASER TREATMENT Use SPF Prevention is always better than cure. And using a sun cream combining UVA and UVB filters is essential. Hyperpigmentation may worsen after sun exposure, as melanin absorbs UV rays. Sunscreen may help protect against further darkening of hyperpigmented spots. The cream must be broad-spectrum and block UVA and UVB rays. Even better, look for a topical cream containing zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or iron oxide, as these ingredients can treat the skin and be less irritating than chemical sun cream. Supergoop! Zincscreen 100% Mineral Lotion SPF 40 Look After Your Insides What you feed your insides is important too! And supplements including Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Glutathione have been shown (*with longer-term use) to help reduce pigmentation. Wild Nutrition Food-Grown® Vitamin C Plus The Mum Club11 September 2023 ← What to Wear This Week → Recipe of the Week: High-Vibe Healing Bowl
