Battle uses his daughter’s skin-care routine as an example of how to prevent and treat hyperpigmentation, especially if you are dealing with acne. “Keep the skin clean, bacteria-free, well-hydrated, slathered with sunscreen, and appropriately take care of any scrape, cut, irritation, or acne bump.”ĭr. The most crucial part of prevention is a consistent routine. Battle notes that “even with the best prevention, that doesn’t mean dark spots will never form.” However, it’s still what you want to do to help keep hyperpigmentation at bay. Battle, “an acne lesion is slightly swollen because it is inflamed and infected, leading to a series of events that lead to hyperpigmentation.”Īny squeezing or picking of acne can cause further trauma to the skin, and therefore, dark spots, which is why we need to learn to keep our hands off our faces. This is why SPF is so important, but we’ll get into that later.Īccording to Dr. Battle says the main culprit of hyperpigmentation is sun exposure, because it can cause irritation to the skin (such as sunburn) or darken an already present mark. Acne, cuts, scrapes, waxing, and rashes are just a few. The list of factors that can lead to hyperpigmentation is endless because any irritation can cause it. Battle, “leading to it getting even darker and taking longer to go away.”.Īs you get older, hyperpigmentation becomes harder to treat because natural exfoliation is slowing down. ”The fact is, being too aggressive will just further irritate the spot,” says Dr. One misconception about hyperpigmentation is that the harder you scrub, or more potent the product, the quicker it will fade. “For deeper, older marks, prescription creams or clinical treatments may be a better choice,” says Dr. A dark spot is superficial if it’s less than three to four months old, and deep if older than that, existing on the second layer of the skin (the dermis). How you should go about treating a dark spot can depend on the kind of mark left from scarring, superficial or deep. “You’ll also need to keep up with regular treatments or hyperpigmentation may return.” “It typically takes months to see results,” Dr. The time it takes to get rid of these dark spots varies from person to person. I spoke with dermatologist Eliot Battle, who works with the cosmetic industry on how to safely and effectively use products, aesthetic treatments, lasers, and plastic surgery on patients of color. Without proper prevention practices in place, the struggle to get rid of it becomes tougher.Īcne is one of the main culprits of hyperpigmentation because the infected area is inflamed, which can eventually lead to scarring. The more a dark spot is exposed to the sun, the darker it becomes in comparison with lighter skin surrounding it. People with darker skin can run a higher risk of developing dark spots and uneven skin tone because they’re more sensitive to factors that can cause or further develop hyperpigmentation, such as sun exposure. Both are more prone to hyperpigmentation. This is when I knew it was time for me to figure out, like, really figure out everything I could about hyperpigmentation what causes it, and most importantly, how to prevent and treat it - especially for people of color and those who suffer from acne. She had me at *melanogenesis*, a word I don’t commonly hear when talking about hyperpigmentation, but is apparently responsible for it.
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