Hyperpigmentation - Things you should know!

It is a condition that causes discoloration and discolored patches to appear on the skin. The color of one’s skin is determined by the production of melanin in the body, and hyperpigmentation is caused by a disproportionate production of melanin. People of any race or skin color can be affected by this condition. The most common pigmentation problems are brown sun spots, melasma, age spots, and pigmented birthmarks.  Pigmentation issues very depending on the natural colour of the skin.

Treatments include fade creams, IPL, Elos Aurora, laser treatments like Fraxel Dual and in some cases biopsy or skin excision is required to exclude skin cancer such as melanoma. As per the top plastic surgeons in delhi there are, Three skin irregularities caused by this condition are; Post Inflammatory hyperpigmentation, Lentigines (or sun spots) and Melasma.

Treatment of brown sun spots: Many people have mottled brown spots, freckles and patches on their skin due to excess pigmentation. These are easily treated with medical grade Elos IPL or Fraxel Dual laser. There is a range of different causes of pigmentation. Treatments differ depending on what type of pigmentation is affecting your skin. The brown pigmentation is called melanin and is made by special cells in the skin called melanocytes. The main categories of pigmentation problem are freckles, age spots, (also called liver spots or sun spots) melasma and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Melasma: Women with a genetic predisposition to this condition or those with darker skin complexions and those who have a higher exposure to ultraviolet rays are most commonly affected by melasma. It is a condition that affects the areas of the skin that are most exposed to the sun. It involves female hormones and so women who are pregnant are generally affected by melasma.

Melasma is blotchy areas of brown skin pigmentation on the face. Melasma, (also known as chloasma), appears as blotchy pale brownish pigmentation on the face, especially forehead, cheek and upper lip. It is more common on darker skin types. It is especially common in women aged 20-40 and is associated with pregnancy or taking the contraceptive pill or injection. It also happens in healthy, non-pregnant woman taking no medications and men using aftershave.

Sun exposure following some cosmetics can cause a phototoxic reaction where the chemical substance absorbs UV light. The resulting pigmentation extends where sun and cosmetic use have coincided, for example down the neck, often more on the right side in countries that drive on the left.

Melasma is more stubborn and unpredictable to treat than freckles or age spots because the melanocytes have become sensitized and continue to produce extra pigment with even the slightest hint of sun. Sun protection is an essential part of treatment. Melasma can be treated with Active FX Laser Resurfacing. It destroys up to 80% of melanin, efficiently, which is ideal for cases of melasma that cause excessive pigmentation of skin.