Skin Care

What is Pigmentation?

Pigmentation is where the Melanocytes become overstimulated. Melanocytes are the skin cells which give our skin colour. The darker areas are Melasma and the lighter areas are called decolorations. Although these make up the skins pigmentation, they have to be treated differently. The lighter areas on our skin (decolarations) mean that our skin is not producing enough Melanocytes. The darker areas of our skin (Melasma) indicates the opposite, that our skin is producing too much Melanocytes.

Hyper-pigmentation can be the result of many factors, external or internal. The internal causes can be certain illnesses such as Edisons disease and some hepatic (liver) problems. Hormonal changes such as menopause and pregnancy, along with certain vitamin and mineral deficits are another cause of hyper-pigmentation.External factors such as exposure to sun and the use of some products that irritate the skin or cause skin photosensitivity can aggravate the problem. Cosmetics or fragrances containing alcohol compounded with exposure of your skin to the sun-increases your risk. Alcohol + sun = irritation and risk of developing hyper-pigmentation, so you should always use a suitable sun-block.

 How do I treat Hyper-pigmentation?

• Hydroxy acids-Alpha hydroxy acids facilitate the shedding of dead skin cells and may even stimulate the production of collagen and elastin. They are found naturally as follows:

1. Lactic Acid (Milk)
2. Glycolic acid (sugar cane).
3. Malic acid (found in apples and pears).
4. Citric acid (oranges and lemons).
5. Tartaric acids (grapes).

• Vitamin C- or ascorbic acid, is a very potent antioxidant. Most studies on the effects of antioxidants on the skin have used this vitamin. In laboratory studies, large amounts of vitamin C reduced skin swelling and protected immune factors from sunlight. Vitamin C may even promote collagen production.
•  Intense pulsed light – Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) pulses uses wavelengths of heated light which are directly aimed at the pigmented spots. The advantages of this technology include the fact that the pigment is able to be targeted precisely without damaging surrounding tissue. Skin pigmentation in the face, neck, chest and hands can be treated safely and effectively.

  The light energy is gently delivered to the skin in pulses, through a delicate, computer-controlled handpiece. After your IPL treatment, the skin pigmentation or sun spots will gradually fade and slowly disappear, however in some instances the pigment may appear darker as it heals itself whilst in other cases it can flake up in a bid to eliminate the pigment in an external scab form.

  The added benefit of the Palomar IPL Technology is that is also works to activate cells in the skin called fibroblasts which stimulate collagen remodeling and new collagen production. Effectively, this helps to rejuvenate the skin, improving its texture, visibly minimising pores and reducing superficial fine lines and wrinkles to reveal a more youthfully hydrated appearance.

• Microdermabrasion-the resurfacing effect of microdermabrasion can achieve the following:

1. Removal of abnormal tissue and rough skin
2. Stimulation of new skin growth
3. Stimulation of collagen and elastin production

Jennifer Stepanik is the Founder of Republic of Skin www.republicofskin.com and is constantly updating her readers with information on healthy living, lifestyle, mind balance and GREAT SKIN on her blogs page www.blog.republicofskin.com . Her extensive training in the fields of natural therapies such as herbs, nutrition, holistic counselling, healing modalities ranging from swedish massage, remedial massage, reflexology, shiatsu and reiki combined with her aesthetics training and paramedical aesthetic training has given her a broader understanding of how to fuse the worlds of beauty, healthy living, lifestyle and mind balance into an online platform of information available to the world, as well as operating a boutique on the South Coastal town of Thirroul.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/pigmentation-triggers-and-treatments-1780869.html

Tags: and, pigmentation, treatments, triggers

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 7:44 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.