Treating Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation is one of the most common skin concerns estheticians address with clients in Colorado. Age spots, sunspots, liver spots, melasma – no matter what you call hyperpigmentation, it can be a very frustrating problem to tackle because it requires a great deal of patience, lifestyle changes, as well as investment in treatments and products.

Hyperpigmentation is common in Colorado for a few reasons: the most obvious one is that we live at altitude. Living at altitude means that we live closer to the sun, which increases the UV Index (or how strong the sun’s rays can be at certain times of day). Here in Colorado, we also love winter activities – which is also a big contributor to hyperpigmentation. The sun’s rays multiply as they reflect off the snow, meaning that UV rays hit us from above and below as they bounce off the snow that’s on the ground.
Another reason for hyperpigmentation’s prevalence is that protecting our skin from the sun’s harmful rays was not common knowledge until the most recent generations. We all know we need to wear hats and SPF and sunglasses now, but previous generations loved laying in the sun with baby oil, laying in tanning beds, and avoided using SPF. For this reason, these generations make up most clients that are actively seeking treatment for hyperpigmentation.

How to Treat Hyperpigmentation

To effectively treat hyperpigmentation, we need to do 3 things:

  1. Inhibit tyrosinase (the enzyme that triggers the melanocyte to start pumping out pigment).
  2. Exfoliate the keratinocytes (skin cells) that have already had melanin distributed to them.
  3. Avoid deliberate sun exposure (like tanning) and wear/reapply SPF throughout the day.

Ingredients to Treat Hyperpigmentation

First, Tyrosinase inhibitors are important to incorporate to a daily routine when trying to address hyperpigmentation. The analogy I use for this is: the melanocyte is the car, and the tyrosinase is the key that starts the car. If we take the key away, the car can’t get started. The best tyrosinase inhibitors to look for include:

Kojic acid
Licorice root
Vitamin C
Alpha arbutin

Products containing these ingredients may help improve the appearance of existing hyperpigmentation and reduce the likelihood of it becoming more noticeable when paired with consistent sun protection.

Exfoliating Acids

For dry skin – lactic acid, mandelic acid and azelaic acid
For oily skin – glycolic acid and mandelic acid
For combination skin – glycolic acid, lactic acid and mandelic acid
For sensitive skin – lactic acid & azelaic acid

The final piece to this puzzle is finding an effective sun protection product and using it daily. This can be a struggle for clients due to texture issues, comedogenic ingredients, and potential irritants. Chemical sun protection ingredients like oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, homosalate, octocrylene and octinoxate can be a less appealing choice for clients struggling with severe hyperpigmentation because they absorb UVA and UVB rays, which can create heat on the surface of the skin potentially making severe hyperpigmentation worse.

Mineral sun protection ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide lay on top of the skin and block UVA and UVB rays, which does not create heat and are considered a better choice for our clients struggling with severe hyperpigmentation. The best advice is to try out a few different sunscreens, find the one you like and apply and reapply it every single day. If a pure mineral SPF is texturally unappealing, looking for an SPF that has a blend of physical and mineral sun protection ingredients is a great option.

If you’re like me and wear a full face of makeup every day and can’t reapply your SPF, wear a hat with a wide brim and avoid deliberate sun exposure from noon until the sun goes down.

Although hyperpigmentation is one of the more frustrating skin conditions for us to treat, we can create real change for our clients using a customized strategy including professional treatments and targeted retail recommendations within a few months. Patience and a thorough skin analysis and consultation are our best practices in treating this specific skin condition.
Because pigmentation can have different causes, clients with new, changing, persistent, or difficult-to-treat discoloration should be referred to a dermatologist for diagnosis and treatment.

This article was written by our aesthetics instructor, Malorie Rink. She’s been an Aesthetician since 2010. She teaches and is skilled in all aspects of Aesthetics, but one of the areas she focuses on is the histology of the skin (the science of the skin and its layers), and the understanding of ingredients and how they impact various skin conditions. Malorie teaches Ingredient Knowledge classes to help our students understand not just specific products but each ingredient, so they graduate knowing how to work with any skincare line because they understand the base of it all – each ingredient.

A Look Inside Aesthetics