Treating pigmentation

Carolina BrennanWhat's Happening at The Anti Ageing Clinic

Pigmentation is just one of the side effects of too much sun exposure without sun protection. Prevention, through the daily use of sunscreen, is the best method of averting the occurrence of most types of pigmentation.  Unfortunately, because most of us were not aware of the importance of adequate sun protection when we were growing up, many of us have a good chance of seeing a form of pigmentation crop up somewhere on our body.

Pigmentation can take the following forms:

  1. Melanoma – Brown spots on the body
  2. Melasma – Brown freckling patches that can appear on the face, upper lip and hands.  When the patches are not raised, rough or crusted, they are considered to be benign.
  3. Hyper Pigmentation – an increase in melanin production stimulated by sun exposure.  It can also be stimulated by birth control pills, pregnancy and oestrogen replacement therapy.
  4. Chloasma, liver spots, sun spots or age spots – small brown patches on the skin which have nothing to do with liver function, but are always caused by unprotected exposure to the sun.

Causes of pigmentation can vary from sun damage due to lack of sunscreen or hormonal changes in pregnancy and during the menopause to external factors such as spraying perfume on the skin and it reacting with the sun.

When it comes to treating different types of pigmentation it is important for us as therapists to consider the depth of the discoloured pigment.  In most cases the discolouration is superficial but in a few cases, the discolouration lies deep within the dermis.

Before treatment

After treatment

Look out for a forthcoming blog where I will explain how we treat it.

STOP PRESS!

We are having an exclusive Dermalogica Face Mapping Evening on:

Wednesday 27th June from 5-9pm.

Book yourself in for just £10 (redeemable against products bought, or treatments booked on the night) and receive a free goody bag.

We are very excited to be launching our Overnight Repair Serum at the event, so don’t miss it!

In the meantime, here are some tips from Carolina on how to get rid of wrinkles whilst you sleep:

1. Sleep on a silk pillowcase to prevent skin creases

2. Take two to three collagen capsules just before you go to sleep

3. Use a serum at night to repair the skin – for example our new Overnight Repair Serum

4.Exfoliate the skin before bedtime to remove dead skin cells

5. Use a eyecream to moisturise the delicate eye area

6. Don’t forget neck and chest cream to repair the skin at night

7. Take 1000mg of vitamin C daily to stimulate collagen production

8.Take Omega 3 and 6 in the winter to prevent dry, dehydrated skin

9. Always use a nail oil at night to treat your nail bed and stimulate growth

10. Get at least eight hours sleep for  fresh, more radiant skin.