Pigmentation Treatments – Types, Causes, Benefits, Recovery

Overview | Ideal candidates | Treatments | Causes of pigmentation | Future-care

Pigmentation is a condition that causes dark spots on your skin. There are different kinds of pigmentations. These include superficial pigmentation, which can be caused by mild sun tan and sun damage, frictional pigmentation that is caused due to constant rubbing, and deep pigmentation, which is difficult to treat, like melasma, deep sun tan,  hyperpigmentation and more.

The Stanford Health Care website states that these brown spots can last on your skin for years and even a lifetime. The natural color of your skin is a result of melanin, a pigment present in your body. Melanin disorders can lead to pigmentation on your skin and this results in the occurrence of dark patches. If you notice that you are developing these spots, then a pigmentation treatment can help you with it. There are multiple procedures that can reduce pigmentation. 

Ideal candidate for treatments to reduce pigmentation

To be an ideal candidate for these treatments, you will need to meet certain conditions. Firstly, you must be in good physical condition. Some of the procedures to treat pigmentation require you to be healthy, so you can recover well after the treatment. Ideal candidates should meet certain other criteria:

• They must be able to stick to strict usage of sunscreen application 
• They must be non-smokers as they show better result
• They must have less exposure to the sun 
• They must follow a good skin care routine
• They must not have any kind of skin condition like an active viral skin infection

Different types of treatments

According to the National Health Service (UK), skin lightening methods are used to treat the dark patches on your skin. Various pigmentation treatment options can help with your condition. 

Oral medications

1. Antioxidant tablets – Some studies have shown that melasma or skin pigmentation can be caused by oxidation. This is why, in some cases, dermatologists prescribe antioxidant tablets to their patients to treat skin pigmentation. The ingredients of the medicine help with skin lightening and reduce the dark patches. Make sure to use the prescribed dosage only, as overuse does not guarantee a better result.
2. Oral sunscreens – Direct exposure to the sun is one of the main reasons behind skin pigmentation, especially on the body parts that are not covered. This is why the use of sunscreen is the most effective method to fight it. In addition to your preferred topical sunscreen product, you can also use oral sunscreens. They are available as pills and provide extra protection. Other effective medicines are Oral Glutathione and Oral Vitamin C.

Topical products

1. Lightening creams – You can use skin lightening creams, too, as a pigmentation treatment option. The most effective lightening creams contain hydroquinone, licorice extract, N-acetylglucosamine, and vitamin B-3. These can help improve your skin tone and make the dark spots lighter. The prescribed skin lightening creams can be quite effective if you use them at least twice daily. You can notice the result over time. However, these creams have to be used as advised by the dermatologist.
   Lightening creams contain Vitamin C, Mandelic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Kojic Acid , and Azelaic Acid. You must make sure that the creams have these important active ingredients. However, many plant-based derivatives are also available, which can be helpful. 
2. Retinoids – Derived from vitamin A, the small molecular structure of the Retinoids allow them to treat pigmentation by entering into your skin. This ability of Retinoids makes it one of the most effective elements on dark spots, which is why many skin lightening products use it as an ingredient.
3. Topical sunscreens – Prolonged sun exposure leads to pigmentation on your skin. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests using topical sunscreen products to guard your skin from the dangers of sun exposure. However, that is not the only way the topical sunscreens can help you. These products also have active ingredients that safeguard your skin from the dangerous UV rays and can reduce already existing dark spots as well. Hence, sunscreen products are quite effective for saving yourself from pigmentation.
   The application of sunscreen is very important for anyone being treated for pigmentation, and it must be used regularly. The sunscreen must be applied 20 minutes before possible sun exposure and should be repeated every three to four hours. Physical sunscreen like an umbrella, scarf, hat, or jacket can also be helpful against direct sun exposure.
4. Exfoliating polishes – Exfoliating polishes are used as a pigmentation treatment, as they have the ability to remove the dead skin cells from the upper layer of your skin. The creams have magnesium crystals, which effectively exfoliate the pigmentation on the affected areas of the skin and make them lighter and more evenly toned. The clogged pores of your skin are also cleaned by these polishes. The newer exfoliating polishes have glycolic acid, mandelic acid, lactic acid, and retinoic acid, which work well without over-drying the skin. You can use these scrubs thrice a week to achieve the desired result but you have to be gentle with them.

In-Clinic Treatments

1. Chemical peel – The chemical peel is a skin resurfacing method used to treat skin pigmentation. The chemical peel solution can exfoliate the dead skin cells and resurface the younger and healthier skin layer. This way, the dark spots on your skin are reduced. The alpha-hydroxy acid, glycolic acid, and trichloroacetic acid are used as agents in different peels, depending on whether you need a light, medium, or deep peel treatment. At The Bombay Skin Clinic, the different types of peel treatments that we provide include Cosmelan Peel, Spotless You Peel, UBER PRO Peel (with Dermapen), Ferrulac Peel, Miami Peel, The Bombay Super Bright, and The Pigmentation Freedom Peel. All these treatments are performed to perfection under the supervision of skilled and experienced dermatologists.
2. Medi-facials – Medi-facials have the ability to improve the health and quality of your skin by penetrating deep into the targeted areas. Depending on how dark your pigmentation spots are, dermatologists use different medi-facial treatments. At The Bombay Skin Clinic, the various treatments that we offer in medi-facials include The Bombay Brightening Facial, SuperJet Facial, The Bombay Infusion Facial, The Bombay Hollywood Laser Peel, The Bombay Pumpkin Facial, Anti-Clock Facial, The Bombay Intensive Vitamin C Facial, The Bombay Bright Eye Treatment, and The Bombay Glass Skin Facial.
3. Mesotherapy – This pigmentation treatment uses injectable agents to treat the dark spots on your skin. The most commonly used agents are vitamins, enzymes, hormones, and plant extracts, which have the ability to treat the pigmentation effectively. Depending on your condition, these are injected into the different depths of the skin areas that are affected by the pigmentation. However, the treatment may have certain side-effects like nausea, redness, sensitivity, scars, swelling, rash, and pain. The use of the MCT mesoinjector gun for performing the procedure makes the process painless and requires no downtime.
4. Microneedling – Microneedling is a minimally-invasive treatment procedure for curing skin pigmentation. To perform this procedure, your dermatologist will use very fine needles to make punctures into the targeted areas on your skin. As soon as it is done, your body starts to heal the punctures. With time, along with the intentionally made skin damages, your body heals the pigmented spots too. The new Dermapen 4 technology makes the procedure even more effective. After performing the microneedling treatment, the meso serums like Vitamin C, Glutathione, Ferulic acid peel, and Retinol peel can penetrate deeper into the skin. This can help treat the pigment cells, which are located deeper in the skin layer without requiring any downtime.
5. Laser peel – The laser peel is a safe and effective way to treat skin pigmentation. The dermatologist uses a laser device to send wavelengths into the targeted areas on your skin. The laser wavelengths destroy the damaged skin cells and reduce the pigmentation. There are no harmful side-effects to this procedure and the result can be seen quickly. These days, the Q- switched laser devices are used for their advanced features. Laser wavelength used is Q- switched laser, which helps to break the pigment cells and remove them from the body naturally. It requires no downtime and will not result in increased sensitivity to the sun. However, it requires more sessions, but you can expect to see improvement after each session.
   Other than helping to treat the pigmentation, the Q-switched laser also improves the overall skin brightness, texture, and tone. It must be performed in a registered clinic, using a USFDA approved machine under the supervision of an experienced dermatologist to achieve the best possible results.
6. IPL Therapy – The Intense Pulse Light (IPL) therapy is another laser pigmentation treatment procedure used to cure dark spots on the skin. When the laser is used on the targeted areas, it increases collagen production, which naturally starts to treat the affected skin. With time, the dark spots are reduced and get lighter. This treatment is ideal for you if you have fair skin, as the procedure is safer for a fairer skin and must be used with caution on darker skin. However, with the advancement made in lasers and Pico lasers, the use of IPL therapy has become less popular.
7. Microdermabrasion – This method requires the use of a medical device to remove the epidermis layer of the skin. This procedure requires multiple sessions but it is an effective method to remove the pigmented areas. You need to make sure that it is performed by an experienced dermatologist who can guarantee the best results.
8. LED light treatment – The Red LED light has a positive effect on skin and has the ability to prevent pigmentation even after sun exposure. It also reduces sunburn and other types of inflammations. An LED light device is used to treat this pigmentation. This treatment has minimal downtime and it is painless, safe, and non-invasive.
9. Photodynamic treatment – The photodynamic treatment (PDT) has a very positive effect on the skin. It is also known as ‘Super Blue Light’ treatment. To perform this procedure, a photosensitizer is used on the targeted areas of the skin to reduce pigmentation. Other than that, this light therapy can also improve sun-damaged skin and fine lines.

Type of skin conditions treated for pigmentation

Along with the dark patches, these treatment procedures are used to treat many different kinds of skin conditions, which lead to pigmentation. Age spots, sun tan, freckles, solar lentigines, frictional pigmentation (pigmentation from constant rubbing), skin inflammation, reaction to a drug, and certain medical conditions due to increased pigmentation, and different types of scars are the most common forms of skin conditions that can be treated using these procedures. Depending on your goal, your dermatologist chooses the right treatment plan for you. 

Main causes of skin pigmentation

The two main reasons for skin pigmentation are sun exposure and hormonal changes. Hormonal changes are very common during pregnancy and if you have certain medical conditions. Some medicines are known to have hormonal changes as a side-effect, too. These can lead to pigmentation. Sun exposure too, can result in pigmentation on the skin, especially on areas that are directly exposed, like your face, hands, and neck. 

What to expect during a  doctor’s consultation

Before opting for the pigmentation treatment, you must book a consultation in our clinic. The doctor will identify the cause behind your pigmentation and determine the treatment procedure required. You will be asked for your medical history and a few tests will be done to understand your physical condition better. The doctor may ask for a skin biopsy too, if it is required to understand your skin condition. Finally, the doctor will tell you what you can expect from the treatment.  

Future care

Overall care of your skin is required after the treatment to achieve and maintain the results. While using a sunscreen product regularly is very important, it is not enough. You must always wear hats with brims and sunglasses when going out into the sun. You should also keep your skin hydrated and clean at all times. This way you can improve the health of your skin and keep the dark spots away. 

Closing paragraph

Having skin pigmentation is not harmful physically, but it can surely destroy the natural tone and brightness of your skin. There are many treatments that can reduce dark spots effectively. So, without worrying about them, book a consultation at our clinic and we will help you get your beautiful skin back. 

References

1. Stanford Health Care: https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/skin-hair-and-nails/skin-spots.html

2. National Health Service UK: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cosmetic-procedures/skin-lightening/

3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicines/sunscreen-how-help-protect-your-skin-sun

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