One of the most common skin concerns, pigmentation is the unfortunate reality of repetitive sun damage from years gone by. Showing up in the form of sun spots, dark spots, freckles, or melasma, pigmentation doesn’t discriminate and can affect anyone regardless of age or skin type.

As we look to close out the summer months, if pigmentation or uneven skin tone is a concern of yours, now is the time to start working with your therapist to create a treatment plan best suited to your needs.

In this guide, we’re going to dive into all things pigmentation, what it is, what causes it and share our expert advice on how best to prevent, treat and reveal your most radiant, glowing complexion yet! 

SEE OUR NEW PIGMENTATION SPECIAL

What is pigmentation?

Pigmentation refers to the discolouration of the skin, most commonly showing up as dark spots, sun spots, freckles or age spots. Typically flaring around Summer in response to the warmer weather, while several factors come into play, pigmentation is the result of an increase in the melanin protein that is responsible for our skin tone. When this becomes uneven or excessive, this is when we start to see pigmentation show up on the body.

Pigmentation vs Hyperpigmentation

Pigmentation refers to the amount of melanin found in the skin which affects your overall skin tone where as hyperpigmentation, refers to an excess of the protein. This is what results in the darker patches or spots and are often triggered by sun exposure, hormonal changes, inflammation, or injury.

What is melasma?

While not too dissimilar from hyperpigmentation in appearance, melasma is triggered by hormonal factors which is why it’s most common in women throughout pregnancy or while on birth control. Melasma does tend to go away on its own, however, it is a frustrating condition, and repeated sun exposure and heat can cause it to flare up on the cheeks, chin, forehead and neck.

Can you get rid of pigmentation?

The short answer; yes! However, for the most part, when it comes to pigmentation the damage has already been done years before and is deep-rooted in the layers of the epidermis. The good news though, is there are several treatments and preventative measures, from your daily habits and everyday skincare routine to targeted, professional-grade procedures available right here at Indulgences, that you can use to reduce its appearance, brighten the skin and smooth out any uneven skin tone.

So let’s dive into it! Here are some of our best tips and treatments to prevent, treat and remove pigmentation. 

SKINCARE

• Daily SPF - this is a non-negotiable to help protect the skin from harmful UV rays 
• Vitamin C - best applied in the morning, vitamin C helps protect the skin from free radicals 
• AHA exfoliants - chemical exfoliants such as your retinols, stimulate the skin cell turnover process to lift dead skin and gently fade damaged skin to even out the skin tone.
• Niacinamide - a key brightening ingredient that can help target and lift scarring

See the products we recommend for pigmentation available online.

TREATMENTS

• Microdermabrasion - an excellent exfoliating treatment to lift the superficial layer of dead skin cells to smooth out uneven skin texture
• PEELS - Recommended as a course for best results, peels help lift pigmentation deep from within the epidermis
• LED LIGHTS - particularly when used in conjunction with peels, LED light therapy works wonders to improve your overall skin tone and texture, targeting dark spots and scars, for a visibly brighter complexion,
• Ultimate Glow Facial - the new fast-acting treatment available to book online which uses a combination of peels & LED light therapy to visibly brighten the skin.
• IPL Skin treatments - a powerful in-salon treatment that specifically targets and transforms damaged skin cells, much deeper in the dermis.
• Dermafrac - a unique treatment that combines microdermabrasion and skin needling to exfoliate and powerfully resurface the skin, lifting pigmentation from within.
• Skin Needling - an incredible resurfacing treatment which uses fine needles to create controlled micro-injuries to accelerate the skins natural healing process, stimulating collagen and improving your overall complexion.

For best results, we recommend the NEW Illuminating Skin Package which is available to book now. This is a powerful, 3-step, 6-week treatment plan that we’ve specifically designed to lift, treat and remove pigmentation.

At the end of the day, achieving visible results requires consistency and patience. 

Most pigmentation is found deep within the epidermis from years of repetitive sun damage so make sure you stick to your skincare routine, and follow the treatment plan set out by your therapist, and give your skin time to respond.