Where does hyperpigmentation come from?

Where do his dark spots come from that dull the skin? Uneven pigmentation of the skin called hyperpigmentation. This skin condition is due to the poor distribution of the skin's coloring pigment: melanin. The concentration of melanin in the skin is different from one area to another. When an overproduction of melanin takes place, the affected area becomes covered with brown spots. But what are the specific causes? We tell you everything in this article!

What causes hyperpigmentation?

Melanin is the tanning pigmentation that causes one person to have lighter or darker skin than another. It also affects our eyes and hair. The higher the melanin level, the darker the skin . But for many causes, this pigmentation can be uneven, causing an area that is darker than others, resembling brown spots .

This overproduction of melanin is generally due to intense and prolonged exposure to the sun. Other factors also increase melanin production such as hormonal influences, age and skin inflammation.

sun and melanin

Sunlight is the primary trigger for excessive melanin production. First, this pigment is produced by the skin to protect itself by acting as a sunscreen. It is advisable to sunbathe from time to time to strengthen the skin barrier. This allows at the same time to have a beautiful tan complexion. On the other hand, when we expose ourselves too much to the sun, the skin can no longer control the production of melanin, even less its distribution.

If you continue to expose yourself to the sun despite the brown spots on your face, hands or back, the problem may worsen, turning into even darker spots.

Hormones and hyperpigmentation

Hormones can also influence melanin. This is why it is common for a pregnant or menopausal woman to develop pigment spots. Female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone stimulate the production of melanin. It should be noted that certain hormonal treatments also have an impact on this process. This is further accentuated if at the same time you expose yourself to the sun.

age and melanin

With age, melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin, decrease in number. On the other hand, they become larger in size and distribute more melanin. As a result, age spots generally increase from the age of 40.

Skin lesions and hyperpigmentation

Care should be taken when your skin shows signs of damage from injury or inflammation such as acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, cuts and burns. After the wound heals, the skin tends to darken.

Certain medications and melanin

Many studies have shown that hyperpigmentation can be a symptom of a disease. This is particularly the case for gastrointestinal and autoimmune diseases as well as metabolic disorders. In some cases, pigment spots are signs of a vitamin deficiency.

Afterwards, certain drugs can promote hyperpigmentation such as antibiotics, antimalarials, anti-epileptic drugs and chemotherapy.

Focus on the three types of hyperpigmentation

Pigmentation spots more often affect black and mixed skin, although they spare no one. Dark spots can come in different shapes and sizes . Here are the most common forms that can be observed:

The pregnancy mask or melasma

These spots have very precise and sometimes symmetrical shapes on the face and décolleté. They are particularly visible during and after exposure to the sun, then fade afterwards. Melasma may disappear after childbirth, but in some cases it lasts for years.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation

You should know that this type of pigment spots represents the second reason for consultation with a dermatologist in Nubian skin. According to the advice of a doctor, it is necessary to adopt an appropriate and rapid treatment from the slightest inflammation of the skin.

lentigines

Sunspot or age spot, this problem affects 90% of the Caucasian population. They are due to an environmental origin and regular exposure to the sun from an early age. After 50 years, these spots invade the hands, shoulders, arms, face… in short, all parts of the body exposed to the sun.

How to treat hyperpigmentation?

First of all, it is necessary to avoid or soothe as much as possible the triggering factors of pigment spots. Then, in order to reduce existing spots, follow an appropriate beauty routine. At Nubiance, you will discover an anti-dark spot range to smooth and even out your complexion. We offer a day formula anti-dark spot treatment and a night formula anti-dark spot treatment to be applied to clean skin morning and evening to correct dark spots.

In addition, you can use our anti-dark spot serum as a cure for 10 to 15 days. It contains niacinamide to lighten spots and soothe the skin, hexylresorcinol to correct hyperpigmentation and glycolic acid to exfoliate the skin and promote cell turnover.