The ability to fake flawless skin through makeup and filters is a hack we’ll never stop appreciating. But, wouldn’t it be nice to have skin so flawless, the add-ons were optional? Tackle those stubborn darker patches that appear on your face, and you’ll be one step closer to becoming footloose and foundation free.
Firstly, what’s causing it? There are three main culprits to uneven skintone. The first is exposure to the sun’s harsh UV rays that causes skin damage leading to sunspots, liver and age spots. Hormones also play an important role in development of uneven skin tone - pregnancy or birth control pills can stimulate melanocyte cells to work overtime to create dark melasma patches. Lastly, injuries such as nicking your face with a hair iron or swollen pimple can jump-start melanin production, leaving pesky discolouration called Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH).
OK, so, how do we fix it? With the help of skincare expert Dr. Marko Lens, we break down the key preventative measures and treatments.
Prevention
“The best prevention is avoidance of the sun, but when exposed, regular use of broad spectrum sunscreen. I also recommend to avoid use of products containing glycolic acid as they increase skin sensitivity to the UV light. If these products are used, then the use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen is a must.”
Topical Treatment
All types of uneven skin will respond to topical bleaching creams. “There are many ingredients that can be used to treat an uneven skin tone, some key ingredients to look of for are arbutin, niacinamide, phytic acid, kojic acid and vitamin C,” shares Dr. Lens.
Dr. Lens recommends a “superficial to medium-depth chemical peel that is customised according to the individual skin type. I usually like to mix different alpha hydroxy acids (excluding glycolic) and mix with beta hydroxy acids, polyhydroxy acids, vitamin c, and kojic acid.” Be aware though, it’s vital to get a personalised diagnosis for the cause of your uneven skin tone before booking in for a treatment. For sunspots, these treatments can see exceptional results, but for melasma and PIH, it’s possible that the heat and inflammation can make the problem worse.