Pigmentation – not even botox can treat this

Pigmentation, uneven skin tone

An uneven skin tone, or hyper pigmentation, is the result of an over production of melanin. Melanin is what gives skin and hair its colour, helps protect skin against damaging UV light and absorbs heat from the sun. However, an overproduction of melanin stimulated by excessive sun exposure, hormones, or scarring, leads to a mottled, uneven skin tone.

1) Sun exposure: When skin is repeatedly exposed to UV light, sun damage occurs. Brown spots appear as a result of too much melanin being produced to help protect skin from UV light.

2) Hormones: Melasma is hormone-related hyper pigmentation caused by increased hormone stimulation. It is most commonly experienced by women who are pregnant (which is why it’s also known as the “mask of pregnancy”) or taking contraceptives, but can also be a reaction to cosmetics or medications.

3) Post-Inflammatory Hyper pigmentation: This is a darkening of skin that’s the result of scarring, which can be caused by acne lesions or skin injury.

Just as any brightening regimen must be approached with diligence to experience results, daily use of sun protection is just as imperative.

Even the strictest of brightening regimens can be counteracted by minimal exposure to UV light. When a hyper pigmented area is exposed to UV light, more melanin production is triggered on a cellular level, causing further darkening. Ironically, this production of melanin is just your skin trying to protect itself from damaging UV light.

Daily application of SPF will help shield skin from UV light to control melanin production on a cellular level.  It can even help lessen the appearance of hyper pigmentation triggered by hormone fluctuations (such as melasma) or post-inflammatory hyper pigmentation (scarring).

The most common pattern of melasma is centrofacial: on the chin, upper lip, cheeks, nose, and forehead.  But it can also show up to a lesser extent on the cheeks, nose, and jaw line.

Studies suggest up to 75% of women may develop melasma during pregnancy and about 33% of women on oral contraceptives show symptoms as well. However, once hormonal fluctuations subside, such as the end of pregnancy or the discontinuing of oral contraceptives, the hyper pigmentation often disappears.

It’s important you speak with a skin care professional, especially if you’re pregnant, before beginning treatment for hyper pigmentation.

Dr Harry Singh (Dentist) has been carrying out facial aesthetics since 2002 and undertakes botox in Hertfordshire. He also trains other dentists in facial aesthetics with Smita Mistry.

If you’re looking for botox in Stevenage and botox in Hertfordshire, aesthetics can help you restore your confidence, improve your skin complexion and enhance your appearance by reducing your fine lines and wrinkles and replacing any loss volume.  Please call 07849 279588 to book your FREE initial consultation.