Melanin is a pigment that gives color to our eyes, skin, and hair. Hyperpigmentation is a condition that gives an ‘uneven skin tone.’ However, Melanin isn’t all bad. It protects the skin from UV rays in sunlight.
Unfortunately, sometimes your body is trying to help you, but you wind up with discoloration. This can be difficult to straighten out! For some people, the uneven skin tone is barely noticeable; for others, it is unsightly. It can be so bad that the skin appears mottled or even has patches. It can be an embarrassing condition, which is why so many cosmetic products are available to even out skin tone.
What Causes Skin Discoloration?
Skin discoloration and uneven skin tone is always a result of melanin production. But there are several reasons as to why overproduction of this pigment could occur. Exposure to sunlight will cause the skin to produce Melanin and immediately tan.
Besides that, as our skin ages, we can develop what are called age spots. Another cause of melanin production is fluctuating hormones. This is particularly evident in pregnant women, who display blotches on their bodies and sometimes not their face. Injury to the skin is another cause of melanin production. For instance, when you have a burn injury, your skin turns dark from excessive melanin production.
Is Skin Discoloration Preventable?
The best way to prevent discoloration is by minimizing exposure to UV light. This means you will have to reduce exposure to sunlight by wearing sunscreen, long sleeves, and a wide-brimmed hat. Don’t forget to use a lip balm with the right SPF too!
Avoiding UV rays means avoiding tanning beds as well as the sunlight. Protect your skin from injury and practice healthy skin care habits. You can do this by using gentle products and eating a clean diet rich in antioxidant-full vegetables.
Undoing Skin Discoloration
An uneven skin tone does not happen overnight – it takes time to occur. Similarly, treating uneven skin tone takes time and patience as well. To accelerate even tone, try using a gentle bleaching agent or products with bleaching agents in it.
However, do not use hydroquinone products for extended periods as they are carcinogenic. Exfoliation can help new skin to show and to slough off dead skin cells, revealing more even tone and a brighter complexion—a similar procedure for exposing new skin cells ins microdermabrasion. An expensive but effective procedure that you could try is laser resurfacing. It helps treat sun damage, age spots, wrinkles, and even some scarring. If you are looking for more natural methods of treating uneven skin tone, consider using either lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. But if you opt for this, you have to avoid exposure to the sun or wear extra sunscreen. That’s because your skin will be more vulnerable to burn.
Covering Up Skin Discoloration
While you wait for your uneven skin tone to even out, you have an option to use BB creams, CC creams, foundation, or powders for your face. These cosmetics will help cover the unevenness on your skin temporarily. Thus making it easy for you to attend big events, or even daily if you feel like you need the extra confidence. There are now more gentle products available on the market that work well to even out the skin and are affordable. Be sure to test the color and to sample it beforehand. That way, you can find shade as close to your skin tone as possible. It will also help you figure out if your skin is sensitive to the product. This way, you save money on buying a huge bottle and not using it because your skin does not agree with it.
Uneven skin tone is perhaps the most common skin problem that exists. It is nothing to shy away from. If you suffer from skin discoloration, remember that there are many products available to help you with it. However, make sure you check the reviews before buying it to ensure that it works for discoloration. You may also ask your friends and family what they use to help even out their skin tone. It might surprise you to know how common this problem is! However, the best way is to consult a doctor if you’ve had the issue for a while. Not to worry, you will have an even skin tone in no time!