It has been such a long time! Life has been so busy but I see you have been binging on all my posts. I will try to do better this year and be more consistent.
Let’s talk about a topic that is often associated with the black skin. Let’s talk about hyperpigmentation….
Hyperpigmentation refers to an area of the skin darker than the original skin tone of the individual. It often affects the most exposed areas of the skin such as the face, neck and upper arms. There are several causes that can range from a primary skin issue such as melasma or secondary to a systemic issue such as such as Addison’s disease.
A few points to note-
Hyperpigmentation is to the black skin as Sunburn is to the Caucasian skin. Hyperpigmentation is a major issue of black skin and it is not unusual to have hyperpigmentation as we grow older especially in those that have not been liberal with sunscreen. There are also some naturally occuring lines called pigmentary lines of demarcation that may separate different areas of pigmentation in blacks which is not unusual. When we also have any skin issues e.g acne, we tend to heal with what is called post inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
The reason why black skin pigments easily is because of the type of darker melanin we have called eumelanin and also because of the larger size of our melanosomes (where melanin is stored) amongst other factors.
What to do when you have hyperpigmentation? The cause determines the treatment. There are three types of hyperpigmentation- epidermal, dermal and mixed. Epidermal – the pigmentation is in the topmost layer of the skin, Dermal – The pigmentation is in the second layer of the skin and Mixed – distributed within the top and second layers.
It therefore makes sense that it is easiest to get rid of hyperpigmentation in the topmost layer.
Acne causes more of epidermal hyperpigmentation (may be mixed at times) and it responds well to treatment. Fixed drug eruption causes more of a dermal pigmentation so it is more difficult to take care of.
This is the reason why it is important to be seen by an expert before using products especially those for hyperpigmentation. If you’re using a lightening cream for a dermal pigmentation, all you’ll do is get the uppermost layer (epidermis) lighter while the hyperpigmentation itself will respond poorly to the cream making the spot more obvious. Luckily, epidermal and mixed hyperpigmentation is more common than the dermal hyperpigmentation.
Some of the products used for hyperpigmentation include Niacinamide, retinol, vitamin C, alpha arbutin and controlled use of hydroquinone amongst others. A sunscreen with SPF 30 to 50 used correctly with reapplication every 3 to 4 hours is one of the backbone of management. Without sunscreen use, you’re not going to get the desired results even if you use all the lightening agents in the world.
Finally, procedures such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion and microneedling help improve hyperpigmentation.
You are beautiful, pigmentation or not…embrace all of you
How does one get rid of leftovers /dark spots on the skins where Treatment has been completed…
It is better you are seen physically for that. Products like retinol, alpha arbutin, vitamin C and Niacinamide help together with liberal sunscreen use.
Do dermatologists do chemical peels in Nigeria?
Definitely! They do. Dermatologists and aestheticians do. You can send an email to skinandall@yahoo.com for further enquiries. Thank you