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Friday, January 22, 2021

Hyperpigmentation Series: What It Is & How To Treat It? Part 3 #HYPERPIGMENATION #BEAUTY #SKINCARE #PIH #MELASMA #PHOTODAMAGE

 Hyperpigmentation Series: What It Is & How To Treat It? Part 3

What Are Some Great Products To Treat It With?

If you have been reading along, you know that I have been covering hyperpigmentation, its causes and how to treat it. Today's post will deal with certain products that I like to actually treat the problem. To review, there are three types of hyperpigmentation: post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), photo damage and melasma. Although they are all caused by different things, treating them is very similar. Read my post on the different ways you can treat them here: https://bit.ly/3izg0XD. I am uniquely qualified to write about this subject because I have suffered from severe photo damage & some melasma, due to years of sun exposure when I was younger and more stupid than I am now, as well as being hormonal & menopausal. 


Let's discuss different AHA products first. The Ordinary by Deciem has some amazing products. My absolute favorite is their AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution. This product is for those experienced with AHAs only. It even mentions this on their website. I have seen people pouring this all over their face online and it is scary. This contains glycolic, lactic, tartaric and citric acids as well as salicylic acid. The main ones are the glycolic and lactic acids. Tartaric and citric are potent exfoliants. Salicylic acid acts as an exfoliant, clears pores and is an anti-bacterial. It really brightens the skin with regular use of 10 minutes each time. Do not extend past 10 minutes or irritation may occur. 

They also make a Lactic Acid 10% + HA solution and a Lactic Acid 5% + HA for those with dry and mature skins. I use the 10%. It really helps to lighten up pigmentation in my skin, along with use of niacinamide (Vitamin B3). In fact you can mix in their 100% Niacinamide Powder, which is extremely useful for pigmentation issues. As an added benefit it helps with sebum control. Also great is their Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%. This is probably your best best if you cannot use AHAs. It also helps reduce blemishes too, as an added bonus. 

They also have Vitamin C products, as if I haven't given you enough choices to work with. Their Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA is a strong but good choice for brightening. If you want to add Vitamin C to a product instead, opt for their 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder. This can be mixed in with something water soluble. Do not mix with niacinamide though. Finally. there is also the Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA. It is also extremely effective at removing hyperpigmentation and you can mix in some of the Vitamin C powder in with it. 

What is so great is these products are inexpensive but work wonderfully well. My entire skincare arsenal is packed with products from Deciem. I don't have an affiliation with this brand at all, I just love their products so much that I recommend them every chance I can because they are inexpensive and work well. You do have to read the instructions thoroughly and be educated on how to use them. Some are not just to be used willy nilly. 

Next, let's discuss products from other brands. One of my other favorite products is from Topicals. It is called Faded. Started by two Gen Z darlings, Topicals only has 2 products right now and Faded is one of the best out there. It contains everything one needs to literally fade hyperpigmentation and PIH from your face. A gel-serum, Faded can be used all over or only on your dark marks. It contains tranexamic acid, niacinamide, azelaic acid, kojic acid, licorice root powder, centella asiatica leaf extract and melatonin. This product works extremely well at treating PIH erythema (redness), photo damage and melasma. And it doesn't take forever. It does it in a month for PIH and two months for the latter. 


I am not sure if you have heard of Urban Skin Rx or not, but if you haven't you need to pay attention and try them out. Originally developed for women of color, this brand has a whole skincare line dedicated to helping defeat hyperpigmentation. I tried out two of their most popular products and LOVE them so much. Their Even Tone Cleansing Bar is chock full of niacinamide, kojic acid as well as licorice root. This giant tub will last forever and works 3 ways: cleanser, mask and exfoliator. Just be careful to use wisely as it can compromise the skin's natural moisture barrier if left on too long or used too much with sensitive skin types. They also have a Resurfacing Vitamin C Cleansing Bar (again this product will last forever, it's so big), and contains Vitamin C, niacinamide, kojic acid, lactic acid, raspberry seed oil and turmeric. Use sparingly on sensitive skin types, as it is very strong. Both of these products together, combined with Faded, have taken away almost all of my photo damage. 

Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum is a good choice if you want to go this route. It contains glycolic acid, tranexamic acid and resorcinol to help exfoliate and have the product work to rid the skin of hyperpigmentation. 84% of users showed a significant decrease in their dark spots in just 14 days.

As for hydroquinone products, those I would only recommend if you have severe pigmentation issues such as melasma or a lot of photo damage. Curology makes a Rx hydroquinone product at 4%, just go to their website and have a consultation with a PA, and get a Rx for the product. You can get it sent to you for around $30.00 a month. 
The products I am suggesting are for pretty severe pigmentation issues. If you suffer from minor hyperpigmentation, then something like a niacinamide serum or turmeric serum would suffice for you. First Aid Beauty makes a nice niacinamide serum, Facial Radiance Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum. It also contains licorice root and golden kiwifruit. This is a great serum to start out with and use for minor hyperpigmentation issues. 

These are all quality products. I have tried all of them but the last two. And I do not make any money off of them. I am recommending out of the the goodness of my heart, because I too suffer from this scourge. 

I hope this has been beneficial and educational. If you have any questions feel free to email me at: mariepapachatzis@gmail.com or Tweet me @iammakeupjunkie, subscribe to my Snapchat channel: iammakeupjunkie. Thank you for reading! 

Until Next Time~

Marie Papachatzis




 





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