Everything you need to know about hypopigmentation – Essence

If you’re curious about the world of beauty, you have to start somewhere. Along the way in which, it’s easy to get swept up in the newest skincare and makeup trends on social media out of your favorite influencers. Trust me, as a beauty editor, my skin has seen all of it. That’s why we need to emphasize proper education, especially when it comes to what we placed on our skin and hair.

For example, I used to be so concerned about putting on the newest foundation within the 2010s that it wasn’t until I used to be about 20 that I spotted the importance of sunscreen. Growing up within the South, SPF wasn’t a hot topic and lots of black people, including me, didn’t think we would have liked it. This misconception led to my ongoing struggle with .

By the time I turned 25, I used to be fully immersed within the skincare industry. I used to be passionate about educating everyone about the importance of exploring your loved ones history and relationship together with your skin, as lots of our issues are genetic. I used to be also on a mission to spread the excellent news about the importance of sunscreen and the way it will probably solve lots of our skincare issues. Little did I know that my very own skin would reveal a condition that I didn’t know existed until the pandemic hit in 2020.

During this time, we’ve all had to take self-care seriously, which has led to loads of experimenting with different products, suggestions, and tricks—myself included! I struggle with eczema on my cheeks, around my mouth, and on my arms. “mask” only made matters worse, causing what I believed was hyperpigmentation. By 2022, I had tried every dark spot product in the marketplace to do away with them. While my skin had mostly returned to its pre-pandemic state, a number of stubborn spots remained. That finally prompted me to see a dermatologist to get to the underside of it.

Within minutes of being examined, my doctor quickly diagnosed me with hypopigmentation. He assured me it was nothing to worry about. In my case, it was due to untreated sunburn and using products that weren’t suited to my skin type.

Find out what causes hypopigmentation and the way to treat it.

Why does hypopigmentation occur?

“Hypopigmentation is a medical term that means that the skin produces less pigment, which results in lighter spots,” says a board-certified dermatologist Dr. Jeanine Downie explains, “It may be more noticeable on dark skin and can be caused by a number of factors. These factors include eczema and acne breakouts, sunburn, scrapes and blisters, and genetic or chronic conditions.”

Can hypopigmentation be prevented?

While we love to depend on social media for insight into how to correct our skin concerns, Dr. Downie advises that there’s nobody-size-suits-all solution to stopping hypopigmentation. However, you can incorporate protective measures like using SPF 30 or higher, light-based therapies, and laser treatments from a board-certified dermatologist.

Best Practices for Dealing with Hypopigmentation

Hypopigmentation is irreversible, but to get the most effective assessment and personalized treatment to your skin, Dr. Downie suggests the next steps, as well as to avoiding in search of medical advice from social media:

Consult a dermatologist: It is essential to meet with a dermatologist for a correct consultation. This way, the specialist can assist you make a person assessment and help you manage your skin condition.

Protect from the sun: Limit your sun exposure and use a sunscreen with an SPF of at the least 30 to prevent darkening of the encompassing skin. You can even wear clothes that cover lighter areas of skin.

Moisturize: Apply moisturizer to prevent dryness and itching.

Take care of your skin: Wash your skin often, exfoliate it, and treat pimples and other skin problems as soon as possible.

Consider Vitamin C: Vitamin C can assist hypopigment damaged skin by protecting cells and helping to create collagen. Vitamin C will be taken as a complement or applied directly to the skin.