How to treat skin blemishes: The guide that will help you with them.
Sun exposure, as always genetic predisposition, hormonal changes, some medical treatments, or the use of perfumes after sun exposure, are some of the causes of the appearance of spots on the skin.
Healthy skin is one that, in addition to being hydrated and smooth, has a uniform tone.
The sun protection factor (SPF, from the English Solar Protection Factor) is the best ally in order to prevent the appearance of hyperpigmentation. You have to start using it from the first exposure to the sun, and not leave it. Have a light or dark skin type. Therefore, when we talk about skin blemishes, the best treatment is prevention.
Why does skin pigmentation occur?
The spots appear as a consequence of the migration of melanin (the skin pigment) from the deepest layers of the epidermis, to the surface of the skin. This transport of melanin to the superficial cells is carried out with the aim of protecting these cells that are more exposed to the sun.
Therefore, melanin is the pigment that protects cells from damage caused by light, or photoaging, and in turn provides color to the skin. An overexpression of this melanin generates an uncontrolled appearance of pigmented areas in the skin and takes us away from the unified tone that all healthy skin wants to achieve.
Active ingredients to treat dark spots:
The most studied and well-known ingredients in cosmetics as market-leading depigmentants are tranexamic acid and kojic acid. The latter is evaluated by the scientific committee for consumer safety (CSSC) as a possible endocrine disruptor and therefore, they recommend a maximum dose of 0.7% in cosmetic products. Percentage that justifies its use in combination with other ingredients in order to achieve good efficacy as a depigmenting agent. There is also azelaic acid, which is also effective as a depigmenting agent, used at high doses. All of them act by inhibiting tyrosinase, an enzyme that promotes the production of melanin.
Other types of ingredients that treat pigmentation problems are all those capable of reducing the production of stress hormones (cortisol), inflammatory mediators, or oxidizing substances that activate the cell in which the melanin pigment is produced. Among the ingredients capable of attenuating these factors are antioxidants such as Vitamin C (we can find it in its pure form as ascorbic acid, or as ascorbyl glucoside, ethyl ascorbic acid…) or as Ferulic acid or Phloretin. And finally Arbutin and Niacinamide or Vitamin B3, are other anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredients that act at this point.
The last group of ingredients that favor the reduction of stains are those that work as peeling. These ingredients favor the elimination of cells from the superficial layer of the skin, thus eliminating those cells loaded with melanin pigment, and making way for new and virgin skin.
These peel ingredients are: hydroxy acids (either alpha or beta, or poly-) and retinoids. Such as: Glycolic acid, Lactic acid, Mandelic acid, Tartaric acid, Gluconolactone, Salicylic acid, Succinic acid, Retinol, Retinyl Palmitate and/or Retinal.
*Warning: summer and retinoids are not incompatible! It is not possible to start using retinoids in summer because the skin retinitises, becomes fragile and renews itself, so sun exposure in these cases would be a problem. In any case, if you already use retinoids and your skin is used to it, you have already overcome the retinization process, you simply have to lower the dose or the frequency of use.
Best products to treat skin blemishes.
Not only is the active ingredient in the depigmenting product important, but also its percentage and its combination with other ingredients.
Some of the products I recommend to treat hyperpigmentation are:
- ACMED from Boderm laboratories: cream with azelaic acid at 20% that, in addition to treating hyperpigmentation, is anti-inflammatory and regulates the production of acne.
- Geek & Gorgeous Serum from 101 Apad: serum with 20% azeloglycine, derived from azelaic acid, more moisturizing and therefore also better tolerated in some skin types.
- Ducray Melascreen Despigmentant< /a>: cream that combines azelaic acid and glycolic acid (hydroxy acid par excellence).
- Sesderma Kojicol Plus Gel:< /strong> gel that combines kojic acid and glycolic acid.
- Facetheory Extraglow Serum: serum with 5% tranexamic acid, vitamin C and Niacinamide.
- PIH sun spot fading treatment by Transparent Lab: gel with 5% tranexamic acid, 5% azeloglycine, 5% niacinamide and 1% kojic acid (= 0.03% pure kojic acid).
- Sebium Night Peel by Bioderma: gel/serum with 15% alpha hydroxy acids.
- 20 AHA Gema Herrerías Chemical Peeling: facial discs impregnated with a gel with 20% alpha hydroxy acids and vitamin C.
- Skinceuticals Phloretin CF: serum with 10% vitamin C + 2% Phloretin + 0.5% ferulic acid.
- 1% Retinol treatment by Paula’s choice: lotion with 1% retinol (eye! high concentration, for resistant skin or skin already experienced in the retinization process)
- Sensilis Eternalist AGE: moisturizing cream with 7% Retinyl Palmitate.
- DSP-CREAM PIGMENT ZERO by Martiderm: cream with SPF 50 + niacinamide and vitamin C
So, what is the secret formula to avoid skin blemishes?
Prevent, prevent and prevent is the key. The skin has memory, and sunscreen must be used from the beginning of sun exposure, in order to prevent hyperpigmentation in the future. However, combining a sunscreen during the day and a depigmenting treatment at night is the best combo in order to keep the skin protected and the skin tone unified.
