Welcome to our new series, Derm Knows Best, in which a dermatologist takes over the Good Skin blog to share his expertise on important skin care topics.
This time we hear from dermatologist Dr. Chris Tomassian, who answers all our questions about uneven skin tone, including redness, dark spots, and melasma.
What ingredients do you recommend for dark spots, dull skin, or uneven skin tone? My top recommendation is sunscreen, especially a mineral sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
Some other ingredients that can help treat damage and brighten skin include retinol, vitamin C, and alpha hydroxy acids (such as glycolic, kojic, or lactic acid). These ingredients work together to help treat uneven skin tone, dark spots, and even premature wrinkles.
What is melasma?
How is it different from hyperpigmentation? Hyperpigmentation is a broad term describing increased pigmentation (called melanin) in the skin.
Melasma is a type of hyperpigmentation that can be caused by thyroid disease, pregnancy, hormonal changes (including birth control), and prolonged exposure to the sun. Sometimes melasma may appear for no apparent reason.
Melasma most commonly affects women and appears as ill-defined, patchy brown discoloration around the forehead, cheeks, mouth, and neck. In contrast, hyperpigmentation is usually more pronounced and occurs in areas of previous inflammation.
If you're not sure what you have, contact your dermatologist.
Melasma is a type of hyperpigmentation that can be caused by thyroid disease, pregnancy, hormonal changes (including birth control), and prolonged exposure to the sun. Sometimes melasma may appear for no apparent reason.
Melasma most commonly affects women and appears as ill-defined, patchy brown discoloration around the forehead, cheeks, mouth, and neck. In contrast, hyperpigmentation is usually more pronounced and occurs in areas of previous inflammation.
If you're not sure what you have, contact your dermatologist.
How to prevent hyperpigmentation?
Some people, such as those with darker skin tones, are more prone to hyperpigmentation.
However, there are steps you can take to prevent this discoloration from happening again. The more inflammation and UV rays your skin is exposed to, the greater the likelihood of hyperpigmentation.
This is a big reason why I tell people to avoid popping pimples and use topical treatments. Any increase in inflammation can lead to not only hyperpigmentation but also permanent acne scarring.
However, there are steps you can take to prevent this discoloration from happening again. The more inflammation and UV rays your skin is exposed to, the greater the likelihood of hyperpigmentation.
This is a big reason why I tell people to avoid popping pimples and use topical treatments. Any increase in inflammation can lead to not only hyperpigmentation but also permanent acne scarring.
As I mentioned before, it’s also important to wear broad-spectrum sunscreen every day. Is my redness a form of hyperpigmentation?
You might think that any discoloration on your skin is hyperpigmentation, but post-inflammatory erythema (also called erythema) is caused by vasodilation and inflammation, not overproduction of melanin.
Postinflammatory erythema usually resolves on its own more quickly than postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.
If you blush frequently, use skin care products for sensitive skin and inflammation, such as: Oat milk from B. Gentle Cycle.
I have dark spots on my legs and lips, is this normal? Yes. Hyperpigmentation can affect any part of the body, especially post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
In the winter, it is common for people to develop inflammation (irritant dermatitis) caused by licking their lips, which can leave dark pigment behind after healing. Nip this habit in the bud with our nourishing lip oil and use a lip scrub to remove any discoloration.
What are the best in-office treatments for dark spots?
There are many in-office procedures that can help relieve hyperpigmentation, including chemical peels, lasers, light devices (IPL), and microneedling.
These processes are often used in conjunction with each other. It's important to see a board-certified dermatologist who can design the right treatment plan for you.
If you prefer to stay home, try seeing your doctor. This is a weekly professional facial peel ideal for anyone who wants to improve their skin texture, tone and hyperpigmentation.
These processes are often used in conjunction with each other. It's important to see a board-certified dermatologist who can design the right treatment plan for you.
If you prefer to stay home, try seeing your doctor. This is a weekly professional facial peel ideal for anyone who wants to improve their skin texture, tone and hyperpigmentation.
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