What To Do For Skin Pigmentation?
- Juvon Skincare & Wellness
- Jul 2, 2024
- 3 min read
Hyperpigmentation is a common skin condition that refers to darkening of skin resulting from excess melanin production due to acne scars, sun damage or hormonal fluctuations. Hyperpigmentation can affect a part of skin, or your entire skin and the most common type is age or liver spots. It is mostly harmless and a cosmetic issue but sometimes an underlying medical condition may be the cause for your skin darkening.
Causes of Skin Pigmentation
Sun damage is the most common cause and usually affects the areas that are frequently sun exposed.
Certain medications including chemotherapy drugs
Pregnancy hormones
Endocrine diseases, such as Addison’s disease
Skin irritation or trauma
Treatment of Skin Pigmentation
There are various treatment options available for hyperpigmentation. Prior to choosing treatments always consult your Primary care provider or a Dermatologist for determining and treating any underlying medical issues.
Medical Treatment
Treatment may involve addressing the underlying medical condition or stopping a medication. There are several cosmetic medical treatment options available which include:
o Chemical Peel
o Prescription or OTC skin lightening creams
Natural At-Home Treatment
There are various key natural ingredients that help in stopping or inhibiting the abnormal skin pigmentation process
o Acetic acid- Apple cider vinegar (combine equal parts of vinegar and water, apply to affected skin, leave for 5-10 minutes and then wash off. Repeat 2-3 times weekly)
o Aloin- Aloe vera (apply to affected skin at night and wash off in the morning. Repeat daily)
o Antioxidants- Red lentils(masoor dal) paste (soak red lentils overnight in water, make paste in morning and apply to affected areas on skin, leave for 20 minutes and then rinse)
o Azelaic acid- grains such as barley, wheat, rye, also synthetically derived (Use powder of the grains to make a paste with water. Apply thin layer of the paste to the affected skin area, leave it on for about 10 minutes until it dries off and then wash off. Repeat 2-3 times weekly)
o Black tea water (steep black tea bag or loose tea in boiling water for 2 hours, let it cool and then apply to the affected skin areas 2 times daily.
o Dried skin of red onions (Take Potters clay aka multani mitti and add dried skin of red onions, make a paste and use it as a mask 2-3 times weekly)
o Glycolic acid- jaggery, sour milk, sugarcane, apples, citrus fruit (Apply liquidy thin layer on the affected skin areas 2-3 times weekly)
o Green tea extract (steep green tea bag or loose tea in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, let it cool and then apply to the affected skin areas 2 times daily)
o Hexyl resorcinol-plant or synthetically derived
o Hydroquinone- Naturally found in wheat, berries, tea, coffee
o Kojic acid- rice, soy and mushrooms
o Lactic acid- milk, butter milk, sour milk and sugars (apply to the affected skin areas 2 times daily)
o Licorice Extract
o Lycopene- Tomato paste (apply to the affected skin areas daily)
o Malic Acid
o Mulberry extract, green tea extract and oligopeptide 51
o Niacinamide- yeast, meat, fish and milk, also naturally found in body
o Orchid Extracts (apply to the affected skin areas daily)
o Phenylethyl resorcinol- synthetically derived
o Retinoids- fish, meat, eggs and carotenoids (bright colored fruits and vegetables and leafy greens)
o Reservetrol-peanuts, grapes, red vine and berries
o Salicylic acid- berries, dried fruit, concentrated tomato products, almonds, tea
o Vitamin C (L ascorbic acid)- citrus fruits and corn
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