Pigmentation & Uneven Skin Tone
Here at Revival Medi Spa we tailor treatments and home plans to combat your skin concerns. We have a variety of advanced treatments, and we understand each client has different needs. Because of this, we ensure we conduct a thorough skin diagnosis prior to starting any treatment.
Skin pigmentation is a disorder that affects the colour of your skin. Special cells in the skin make a pigment called melanin, which is where your skin gets its colour. If these cells are unhealthy or damaged, it can affect the melanin production. Your skin can become darker from the overproduction of melanin, or an underproduction of melanin can cause the skin to become lighter. This can happen in patches on the skin, or all over the skin.
Pigmentation can be treated using different advanced methods in the clinic, as well as treatments in the home, which can help to reduce the appearance of pigment or remove it completely.
The different forms of pigmentation are:
- Solar Lentigos, which can also be called sunspots or age spots. These appear as flat brown patches.
- Solar or Actinic Keratosis, which appear as flakey brown spots
- Melasma or Hormonal pigmentation, which appear symmetrical in shape and can be made to be darker with UV exposure.
- Freckles, which are very common
- Birthmarks
An uneven skin tone, or hyperpigmentation, is the result of an over production of melanin. Melanin is what gives skin and hair its color, helps protect skin against damaging UV light and absorbs heat from the sun. However, an overproduction of melanin stimulated by excessive sun exposure, hormones, or scarring, leads to a mottled, uneven skin tone. The resulting dark patches and spots are typically perceived as “aged skin” and can make you look more than 12 years older.
How is uneven skin tone caused?
Sun exposure: When your skin is repeatedly exposed to UV light, sun damage occurs. Brown spots and uneven skin tone develop as a result of too much melanin being produced to help protect your skin from UV light.
Pollution: Particles and gasses from traffic-related air pollution are able to penetrate the skin and lead to formation of brown spots, particularly on the face.
Hormones: Melasma is hormone-related hyperpigmentation caused by increased hormone stimulation. It’s most commonly experienced by women who are pregnant (which is why it’s also known as the “mask of pregnancy”) or taking contraceptives but can also be a reaction to cosmetics or medications.
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation: This is a darkening of the skin as a result of scarring, which can be caused by acne lesions or skin injury.
Treatment Options
At Revival Medi Spa we offer a variety of treatments to combat Pigmentation and Uneven Skin tone. Treatments include advanced facials, skin peels, IPL Elight therapy, skin needling (Dermapen), LED Therapy plus more. Feel free to call us to discuss a treatment that may be suitable for you. We offer a FREE skin Diagnosis in order to discuss appropriate treatment options and to create a specialised treatment plan. We also stock the most advanced, specialised, results driven home care products to assist you with combatting your concerns.
What can be done to even out your skin tone?
While there are no quick fixes for uneven skin tone, there are steps you can take to improve it, but it is important to remember to be consistent, as these results can take time.
One of the first, most underrated ways to protect your skin tone is to apply an SPF daily. Unprotected skin from the sun is one of the main causes of hyperpigmentation. You can easily add a moisturizer with an SPF of at least 30 into your routine to safely help keep your skin tone even and prevent new spots.
Exfoliation and a skincare routione which uses the right ingredients can also help to even skin tone. Products that contain Activated Charcoal to help remove pollutants; Oligopeptides, Niacinamide and Zinc Glycinate to help control melanin production; and Retinol to restore skin.
Dehydration
Dehydration presents as persistently dry, red, tight and flaky skin, which is not only uncomfortable but can lead to wrinkles on the face, neck and chest, among other skin problems.
Dehydrated skin is often mistaken for simply dry skin, which is treated differently, and if confused, can make the skin problems worse, result in thinning skin and lead to premature aging and winkles. At it’s very simplest, dry skin is caused by a lack of necessary oils in the skin, whereas dehydrated skin is caused by a lack of water.
Your skin is your body’s largest organ. It helps protect your organs from bacteria’s, pollutants and air borne irritants that could cause your body harm, therefore arguably making it your body’s most important organ too. The stratum corneum – the topmost layer of skin is made up of oily fats (also called lipids) and waxes. This layer is made from sweat and sebum and helps to keep moisture in your skin. If this layer doesn’t work properly due to damage, the moisture in your skin isn’t properly retained, resulting in dehydrated skin. Dehydration is caused by external factors such as weather changes, harsh products, alcohol, chlorine, not drinking enough water etc. Your skin also naturally loses water every day, so must always be replenished.
Both dry and dehydrated skin are caused by inadequate levels of moisture, however, the conditions are different, the difference being the kind of moisture which is missing – oil or water. Dehydrated skin can affect any akin type at any age but is particularly common in those with dry skin.
Hyaluronic acid plays a big part in our skins hydration levels and can be very effective when treating someone who is suffering from dehydrated skin. A low molecular weight hyaluronic acid is best for treating dehydrated skin.
