How to prevent pigmentation on your face, according to experts
If you’ve noticed any darkened patches appearing on your skin recently - normally in brown, black, grey or red - then you may be experiencing pigmentation.
Pigmentation is a fairly common condition that makes your skin appear uneven in tone. It often surfaces in summer and is common amongst pregnant women.
In this blog we’re going to explore the causes of pigmentation on your face, the types of issues you may experience, and expert tips on how to prevent it.
What causes skin pigmentation?
There are a number of factors that could cause skin pigmentation, most of which are linked to the sun.
Firstly, the stronger UV rays during spring and summer can trigger the production of extra melanin in your system. Melanin is there to protect your skin from potentially damaging UV rays, but if your body produces too much then it can lead to pigmentation.
Warmer weather and brighter light can also lead to your body producing extra melanin, which is why pigmentation so often appears during summer.
However, skin pigmentation isn’t just linked to the sun. It can also be triggered by hormonal changes, for instance if you start using birth control or become pregnant.
Many types of skin pigmentation are also more common “in people with a family history of the condition,” according to the British Skin Foundation, although it’s not strictly a hereditary condition.
Types of skin pigmentation
So what are the most common types of skin pigmentation? They include:
- Melasma (also known as chloasma). This appears in the form of dark patches of skin, normally on your face. Melasma is sometimes referred to as ‘the pregnancy mask’ because it is common amongst pregnant women due to hormonal changes.
- Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH). This tends to occur as a result of specific conditions such as acne or eczema, and is a part of the healing process. It may also appear after certain aesthetic treatments such as chemical peels, although using a reputable healthcare practitioner will minimise the chances of this happening.
- Freckles. A longer term condition, freckles are a genetic condition (although they can be made worse by the sun) that appear more prominently in summer and fade away during winter.
- Sunspots. Similar in appearance to freckles, but crucially they are caused by sun damage rather than passed on genetically. They also remain visible all year round, unlike freckles which come and go depending on the weather.
Although there are many more types of skin pigmentation, including vitiligo, lentigines and macular amyloidosis, the four outlined above are the most common.
How to prevent pigmentation on your face
‘Prevent’ is certainly the key word when it comes to pigmentation. Once there are visible signs of it on your face, there aren’t necessarily any creams or ointments out there that will cure the condition. Instead, your best bet is to focus on preventing pigmentation.
Fortunately, there are plenty of at-home treatments you can try to stop the signs of pigmentation from appearing on your face:
- Avoiding excessive exposure to the sun and hot weather in general
- Using strong suncream (SPF50 is normally recommended as a minimum) when you are exposed to the sun
- Avoiding birth control pills and other hormonal treatments
- Taking extra supplements of vitamin C, E or B12
- Establishing an effective and consistent skincare routine
However, in some cases you may need to try clinical treatments to fix your pigmentation.
In the case of hyperpigmentation, some of your main options include chemical peels, IPL treatment and laser skin resurfacing. All of these can be an effective way of reducing the signs of pigmentation on your face, so it’s worth researching each option to see which would be best for you.
If you’re experiencing melasma specifically, it’s worth looking into a dedicated melasma treatment that combines various different approaches. Most will include peels or medical-grade creams that you can apply at home.
As an aesthetic practitioner at Dundrum Clinic, I’ve helped thousands of patients with skin pigmentation over the years. If you have any questions regarding the condition or your treatment options, feel free to get in touch.
