Fine lines and wrinkles are not the only telltale signs of ageing. Hyperpigmentation, brown spots and uneven complexions are the most common concern when it comes to keeping a youthful, blemish-free appearance.
What is Hyperpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation refers to areas, small or large, of discolouration which lead skin to appear patchy or freckled in appearance. This occurs when melanin is overproduced in these areas and deposited deep within the skin. Melanin is the pigment which gives our skin its natural colour.
Sun induced, triggered by hormones, or a lingering reminder of a breakout, hyperpigmentation appears rapidly and can be a stubborn condition to improve . The most effective way to avoid pigmentation is to prevent it from forming in the first place. However, this is not always possible and there are potent ingredients and innovative treatments that can effectively treat this skin concern.
What can cause it?
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Sun damage
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Melasma due to pregnancy or hormonal changes
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Post-inflammatory pigmentation and scarring, e.g. from acne
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Medical conditions
How to prevent hyperpigmentation
Incorporate Vitamin C into your routine.
When it comes to preventing hyperpigmentation, vitamin C is a vital ingredient to incorporate into your daily routine. A potent antioxidant, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) has the ability to inhibit hyperpigmentation and is a powerful way to boost your skin’s defenses against pigmentation.
Dr Sebagh’s Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream delivers a potent, highly concentrated dose of vitamin C to your skin. Simply sprinkle the powder into the palm of your hand and mix into your favourite moisturizer or serum to create a luxurious leave-on treatment each morning.
Vitamin C loses 85 per cent of its potency within one hour of being in contact with the air, but Dr Sebagh’s Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream ingeniously encapsulates this potency until it comes into contact with your skin. Delivering one of the highest doses of stabilised, pharmaceutical grade vitamin C of any skincare product, the silky powder formula turns into a cream on application, boosting skin’s elasticity, improving tone and promoting a healthy, glowing appearance.
Dr Sebagh Top Tip: Mix it into the award-winning Deep Exfoliating Mask for a potent pigmentation treatment. Hands are also one of the first places brown age spots appear. Apply Deep Exfoliating Mask to to your hands once a week and sprinkle some Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream into your High Maintenance Hand Cream daily to keep backs of hands blemish-free. To fade areas of pigmentation on your body, sprinkle it into Supreme Body for a total body treatment.
SPF
Inflammation and sun damage happen as soon as skin comes into contact with sunlight. With daily exposure to the sun without protection, inflammation and damage can accumulate, with the effects showing up later in life as long-term damage in the form of hyperpigmentation. The more sun damage you inflict on your skin at a younger age, the more quickly you will see the formation of brown spots.
It is essential to protect your complexion against the sun with an SPF. Choose a daily sun protection that is at least SPF15 or higher, such as Vitamin C Brightening Primer SPF15 . Don’t forget to apply it to your neck, décolletage and any other part of the body which is exposed to the sun. Remember, SPF should be applied all year round, even during cooler months of the year.
Dr Sebagh says: ‘Did you know that an SPF15 is enough to give skin 92% protection from the sun?’
Watch Dr Sebagh discuss SPF percentages here.
Dr Sebagh Top Tip: Vitamin C increases the effectiveness of sunscreen by helping to shield against UV-induced free radical damage, so sprinkle a little into your SPF for a power shot of protection. I formulated Vitamin C Brightening Primer SPF15 as an everyday anti-ageing multitasker, which hydrates the skin while protecting it using the power of vitamin C and SPF.
Staying out of the sun
Avoid long periods of exposure to sun altogether, especially during peak hours of sunlight between 10am to 3pm. Sit under a sun umbrella, or in the shade when outdoors and wear a hat to minimise sun exposure.
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How to effectively treat and reduce pigmentation
Vitamin C
Not only does Vitamin C prevent pigmentation forming in the first place, it also works to rapidly fade pigmentation marks and brown spots from the complexion. The powder consistency of Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream allows for versatility when it comes to applying it. If you want all over protection, sprinkle it into your serum or moisturiser and apply all over the face. If you want to target a stubborn brown spot or acne scar, you can apply the powder directly to the spot and watch the magic happen at your fingertips—expect to see visible results after just a few applications.
@sparklesandskin on Instagram using Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream to fade her red marks and pigmentation.
Retinol
Incorporate a retinol into your evening routine. Vitamin A (retinol) increases cellular turnover, which in turn reduces the appearance of brown spots and pigmentation. Retinol Night Repair is suitable for all skin types, including those with more sensitive complexions, due to the innovative blend of vitamin A with intensively moisturising oils and humectants—including rosehip oil, Vitamin E, coconut oil, olive oil and squalene.
Start using Retinol Night Repair twice a week, and build up your tolerance from there. Do not use Retinol alongside AHA ingredients such as Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream or Deep Exfoliating Mask as too many potent ingredients can lead to an irritated skin barrier. Instead, AHAs should be used on nights where retinol is not applied.
Make sure you apply SPF15-50 (depending on skin type and climate) every morning as retinol can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
Dr Sebagh top tip: Mix Retinol Night Repair with a drop of Serum Repair for extra hydration.
Exfoliate
Exfoliate twice a week to boost cellular turnover and instantly brighten the skin. Peptides from a Silicium derivative in Deep Exfoliating Mask stimulate the skin’s production of collagen, preventing and repairing the ageing process and pigmentation.
Formulated with a potent blend of lactic acid and azelaic acid, the antibacterial properties in the iconic orange formula prevent the formation of comedones, helping to maintain a blemish-free complexion. Keeping blemishes at bay will reduce any risk of scarring and dark spots they leave behind.
Dr Sebagh Top Tip: Sprinkle Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream into Deep Exfoliating Mask for a potent anti-pigmentation treatment. For more sensitive complexions opt for Deep Exfoliating Mask Sensitive Skin.
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Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) combined with Personalised Mesotherapy
If you are looking to tackle pigmentation with a clinical treatment, The Dr Sebagh Clinic offers a number of non-invasive options. Dr Sebagh takes the classic PRP facial a step further, combining platelet rich plasma from a small sample of your blood with a personalised cocktail of vitamins, minerals and skin superfoods such as hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and zinc. For a serious depigmentation treatment, more powerful than laser and IPL, try the PRP combined with a De-Pigmentation Cocktail. Re-injected into the skin by means of a painless mesotherapy gun, a potent cocktail of hyperpigmentation diminishing ingredients — including vitamin C — combined with the PRP delivers powerful vascular growth factors that increase the microcirculation of the skin, increasing blood flow and circulation. This in turn, boosts the amount of oxygen delivered to your face, instantly resulting in beautiful, rosy skin with dark spots diminished.
