Excessive exposure to the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays can result in skin discolouration, sunspots on skin and long-term sun damaged skin.
Well, the good news is that great advances are being made in treating skin pigmentation caused by an overproduction of melanin which, in turn, causes dark spots and patches on your skin. Excessive sun exposure, hormonal imbalances and your specific genes affect the severity of these blemishes which can range from minor to more severe. Sunspots, liver spots and age spots all appear to look similar and are generally caused by photodamage, in other words, too much time in the sun. These spots show areas of your skin where melanin producing cells are damaged or failing, either due to sun damage or the natural process of ageing. The first appearance of an age spot can often be a subtle blemish in the skin or some unusual redness.
It is a good idea to keep a close eye on any spots before they become a problem. If you notice any new spots, or changes in the size and/or colour of old ones, be sure to consult your doctor before your Skin Therapist.
WHAT CAUSES PIGMENTATION SPOTS?
The causes of pigmentation is most often sun exposure which can trigger a change in melanin levels. There are also many environmental and genetic factors that can cause your skin to produce irregular levels of melanin in certain areas. It is important to wear quality sunscreen with a high SPF and to avoid direct sunlight. Excessive exposure to sunlight can increase the risk of pigmentation skin concerns. If you’re after a gorgeous bronze tan we say fake it, don’t bake it!
HOW CAN I TREAT MY SUN DAMAGED SKIN?
Your skin type and the severity of your problem will indicate which treatment is best for you. Book in for a free skin consultation, to profile your skin to determine the best course of treatments.
Pearl is proud to provide tailored skin care regimes that are beneficial to your skin and will produce results.
Keeping your skin adequately hydrated will allow it to repair damage more effectively, and also helps to prevent fine lines and wrinkles.
Use a professional, cosmeceutical anti-ageing skincare range containing lightening and brightening ingredients like Vitamin C, Retinol and Vitamin B3.
Avoid sun exposure and wear a high quality sunscreen daily, even if you are not in the sun directly. Don’t forget to reapply as directed.
Make sure you are getting adequate quantities of Vitamin D and Vitamin A. Both of these ingredients improve elasticity, collagen production and the overall resilience of your skin.
Moisturise! Nourish your skin with a quality moisturiser targeted at lightening and brightening uneven skin tones.
Choose products high in Vitamin C, which has been clinically proven to brighten your skin tone
After a thorough skin profile to determine which treatments will best target your concerns and build a treatment plan to deliver ongoing results. Unfortunately, not all types of pigmented skin can be treated. Please consult your doctor for advice.
Cosmelan is a topical treatment that is available through professional skin care therapist. The treatment is used to hyper-pigmentation (dark areas on the skin) and some types of skin scarring. Cosmelan may be used on the face or on the body. It exfoliates the skin to even skin tone and it inhibits the production of melanin.
Melanin is what produces color in the skin. Cosmelan comes in a kit that contains four products. The four products are a degreasing solution, Cosmelan mask, Cosmelan cream and a Vitamin K cream.
Mesoestetic Melanostop Peel is a combination peel used to treat difficult epidermal pigmentation and consists of Azelaic acid, Resorcinol and Phytic acid. This combination of chemical exfoliants inhibits the formation of abnormal melanin pigmentations and breaks the cohesion of the corneal layer of keratinocytes
IPL is an excellent and highly effective treatment for improving the appearance of pigmentation conditions. Most commonly these are known as age spots, brown spots, sun spots and sun damage. Skin pigmentation disorders cause changes to the color of your skin. Melanin is made by cells in the skin and is the pigment responsible for your skin's color.
Hyperpigmentation is a condition that causes your skin to darken, "brown or black pigment produced by cells called melanocytes". Melanin production is hereditary but increases with exposure to sunlight. Skin that has been exposed to UV light can produce irregular or abnormal pigment production in the form sun, age, or liver spots (solar lentigos) and freckles (ephelides). Skin can look patchy and uneven in tone and texture.
Pigmentation treatment uses Intense Pulsed Light which can effectively treat certain pigment problems by breaking down the pigmentation into smaller particles, which are then eliminated by the body’s own immune system.