Do you have hyperpigmentation on parts of your complexion in the form of unwanted dots, blemishes, or patches? If so, you are not alone. As the sunny weather and heat increase, complaints of dark spots and melasma become even more prevalent. Also, post-inflammatory skin tags that follow breakouts are problematic year-round. The problem with unwanted pigmentation is that it’s notoriously difficult to treat with over-the-counter skin care products. But all hope is not lost; it’s just that your at-home regimen will require time, patience, and dedication.
There are various forms of hyperpigmentation and discoloration that can appear on the skin. For example, freckles are ultra-cute forms of hyperpigmentation that tend to appear with sun exposure. Dark spots can develop with age and UV rays, while melasma forms pigment spots, often symmetrical, caused by hormones, and exacerbated by heat and sun. Then there are the types of post-inflammatory marks that scar the skin after breakouts, like blackheads and cystic acne. Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) refers to the dark marks left behind after breakouts, while postinflammatory erythema (PIE) is the reddish or purplish forms of discoloration caused by inflammation and damage to blood vessels.
There are several root causes of hyperpigmentation, but some of the common threads that exacerbate these unwanted spots are UV exposure and free radicals from pollution. In the cases of PIH, PIE, and melasma, inflammation is also a major source.
But its development begins with something called the melanin cycle, when the skin’s melanocytes, the same parts of skin cells that are responsible for tanning, are stimulated. “Melanin production is a multi-step process that begins with a signal, usually UV rays, hormones, and free radicals,” begins clean cosmetic chemist Krupa Koestline, founder of KKT Consultants. “Different active ingredients [are used to] inhibit different parts of the pathway. For example, sunscreen and antioxidants reduce signaling to increase tyrosinase gene transcription.”
In the case of post-inflammatory inflammation, your best line of defense will obviously be prevention: stopping those pesky flare-ups before they happen, and keeping your hands off them once they’re there. The connection between inflammation and breakouts, as well as inflammation and melasma, also points to the fact that anti-inflammatory actives can be useful in the prevention, but also damage control when it comes to PIH and PIE.
If you’re seeking in-office treatment, dermatologists can offer prescription creams, while board-certified dermatologist Josh Zeichner notes excellent results with oral tranexamic acid pills. But not everyone has the time and access to a dermatologist. Although difficult, you can still help even out your skin tone at home by using well-formulated serums and treatments. “The more ways you can incorporate different mechanisms to block pigment production, the more synergy you get [in a skincare serum],” explains board-certified dermatologist Ranella Hirsch, founder of Atolla, about what to look for in a serum. “[And] if you don’t use SPF, you’re wasting your time.”
The most popular antioxidant to light up is vitamin C, but newcomers like glutathione, the “master antioxidant,” and the anti-inflammatory compound CBD have also been gaining the attention of late. Other active ingredients mentioned by experts include retinoids and bakuchiol (which accelerate cell renewal), niacin and niacinamide, tranexamic acid, kojic acid, malic acid, and brightening peptides. Koestline shares one to watch out for called potassium azeloyl glycinate, a product of azelaic acid and glycine that the trends haven’t caught on yet. “Azelaic acid is also a tyrosinase inhibitor, and studies show that this molecule helps reduce dark spots,” she explains.
It’s hard to beat the affordable Naturium brand when it comes to formulas with up-to-date activities. This PIH fighter includes Tranexamic Acid, Encapsulated Kojic Acid, Alpha Arbutin, and Acetyl Glucosamine.
Dr. Hirsch likes this formula because it combines “multiple ingredients that target different aspects of the pathway.” Among them are the antioxidant gotu kola, kojic acid, azelaic acid, tranexamic acid, and niacinamide.
Dr. Hirsch also recommends this lightweight serum that combines glucosyl gallic acid, said to be sixty times more potent than kojic acid, with brightening peptides, white shiitake ferment, and derivatives of the red evodia fruit used in the Chinese traditional medicine.
Retinol, Niacinamide, and Vitamin C team up to help with discoloration, while Aloe, Hyaluronic Acid, and Panthenol soothe and hydrate skin. All in all, this affordable serum helps brighten skin while also delivering anti-aging benefits.