Most clients have an element of pigmentation whether this shows as a patch of pigment, sun damage, melasma, age spots, liver spots, sun spots, post traumatic pigment or freckles, it’s rare that you come across someone with no pigmentation on their skin. The severity of pigment can really vary it can be very mild to severe. But first what is pigmentation?
Pigmentation is a discolouration that appears on the surface of the skin. The most common cause of pigmentation is over exposure to UV however there are other causes such as hormones, medication or post traumatic pigment such as scarring. It's important to stress that some freckles which you are born with are beautiful and natural. This is just how your natural pigment is distributed within the skin. The pigment we are referring to is new pigment.
What is pigmentation? Pigmentation is discolouration which becomes visible on the surface of the skin due to the melanocyte (the cell which produces the colour) becoming damaged and altered.
The melanocyte becomes overactive producing too much pigment coating our cells as a form of protection. Initially this may appear as an even tan if caused by UV exposure or as a darkened shadow or mark on the skin. Over time the pigment will become more visible, stubborn and the skin will become thicker.
Now with a tan the cells tend to return to normal after the causing factor, in this case the sun, has been removed however if the cell becomes “abnormal” it will continue to over produce excess pigment or in some cases no pigment at all, this is known as hypo-pigmentation. With challenges such as melasma and scarring this will either lighten, perhaps even disappear with the correct skincare and clinical treatments.
When treating pigmentation regardless of the cause the first step is to use an SPF 365 days a year; without fail. Any pigment, regardless of the cause, will be triggered by UV making it more visible so protection is essential. A blend of key ingredients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Arbutin, Antioxidants and Anti-inflammatory's are again imperative when targeting such skin concerns. Repairing the cell damage, lightening, brightening and protecting the cells from future damage are all benefits you require from home care and clinical treatments. Believe it or not knowing when, how and why the pigment may have started can also have a huge impact on the end result!
There are several treatments available when treating pigmentation. You cannot start to treat pigmentation without a thorough consultation. Without a consultation you could end up making the concern worse and no one wants that!
Here are some of our most effective tried and tested treatments for Pigmentation:
Alumier skin treatments are a safe and effective way at targeting pigmentation. There are a variety of different protocols available for every season.
3Juve ReBright targets full face or isolated of pigmentation breaking down the pigment to effectively remove any discolouration.
3Juve ReSurface is a re-texturing skin treatment which focuses on thickened skin caused by photo damage and scarring.
Often, we combine treatments and home care to create a bespoke programme for each individual client depending on the information gathered in their consultation. Patch tests are also carried out during this consultation. Please click on the image below to arrange your consultation.
