I’ve had freckles for as long as I can remember. I don’t ever remember a time when I had even skin tone. All I ever wanted was to have porcelain skin. Even as an early adult, when it was still customary for a young girl to tan, the skin on my face would just get blotchier with every sun experience. I envied the girls that could achieve the even golden glow . Now that I’m closer to 40 than 20 I’ve come to embrace and work with what God gave me. If in need of a little color I opt to bronze rather than bake.

In order to understand hyper-pigmentation you’d have to understand that  not all spots are created equally. There are three most common categories of pigmentation issues.

Post Inflammatory Hyper-pigmentation- the darkening of the skin after an inflammation (pimple) has healed.

Lentigens-freckles

Melasma- darkening of the skin due to hormonal changes (pregnancy, birth control pills  etc.)

Now having written that I will say that the first two are easier to treat and correct but the third is not hopeless. It’s now possible to correct and treat pigmentation issues while still maintaining the integrity of the skin.  There are many salon treatments including Vitamin C  Facials as well as superficial peels that may help you move in the right direction but, most of the work will be done on your part. Your first line of defense is a great offense.  A Vitamin C serum layered with a SPF of (at least) 30 EVERYDAY is a great start.  Topical Vitamin C has been shown to increase collagen synthesis ,( which means plumper skin) improves the appearance of sun damaged skin, reduces skin damage from free radicals and increases the moisture content of the skin. The SPF is so that existing damage (spots ) don’t get any darker and it helps to prevent any further damage.  You’re evening maintenance will depend on how aggressive you want to be with your treatment. Pigment correcting products run the gamut from “all natural”  to the more commonly used retinols and HQ serums.  Some of these products can be irritating if not used correctly so it’s best to consult  a skin care professional before diving in.

I know that I’ve done well when most people can’t see the remains of my chilhood spots. I’m no doll but my skin is as close to porcelain as it’s ever been !

Enjoy,

Nikki

Glo Skincare Boutiq