Melasma, Dark Spots & Uneven Facial Skin Tone

Mar 1, 2021
5 min read

Updated: Mar 2, 2021

Melasma.

Such a big word. It's simply the unusual darkening of your face. It could occur in patches - specifically on the cheeks, the forehead, the nose - or it could cover the entire face.

Have you ever raised your hand to your face (or compared your neck to your face), and it’s clear that your face is several shades darker? Yep, that's what we’re talking about. That’s melasma.

Even though the sufferer feels no physical pain, having melasma may be quite vexing and emotionally disturbing.

The good is thing is melasma has clear cut causes. The darkening of your face may be due to sunburn, hormonal changes in pregnancy (or due to the use of hormonal contraceptives), stress (oh yes, stress is a strong trigger for some people), genetic factors, or ageing. While it occurs in both men and women, women are more prone to facial darkening.

Now that we know what this big word means, let’s dive into how it can be kept at bay, regardless of your circumstance. Super clear, evenly-toned skin is possible. Chin up. Don’t give up on that goal yet.

Melasma occurs when certain cells in your skin called melanocytes, responsible for pigmentation, or skin colour, go on overdrive and colour the skin much darker than they should. As earlier stated, this over pigmentation of the skin (generally called hyper-pigmentation) may be due to anything from sunburn to age.

The secret to correcting melasma (or keeping it at bay) is in your daily skincare routine. If you don’t have a routine, it’s time to adopt one, because your skin is obviously crying out for help. If you have one, keep reading to see if you tick all the boxes, or if adjustments should be made. These methods are also great for acne spots and freckles.

These goldmines should make up your skin routine:

Exfoliator

Exfoliating helps reverse hyperpigmentation by clearing off the top layer of dead skin and revealing fresh skin beneath.

Exfoliation is important because the skin renews itself roughly every 30 days. If the topmost layer of dead skin cells is not effectively buffed away, the result would be patchy, uneven skin tone. While head to toe exfoliation is encouraged, the most challenging area to exfoliate is the face.

That being said, you want effective exfoliation, but you don't want to hurt your facial skin.

Exfoliating cleaners are perfect for this. They enable a deep pore cleanse while gently removing the topmost layer of skin, to reveal the newer, fresher, softer and cleaner skin beneath.

Botanic Tree Glycolic Acid Cleanser and Toulon Acid Facial Exfoliating Cleanser are loaded with natural ingredients and are perfect for exfoliating.

Exfoliate no more than 2-3 times a week inorder not to strip the skin of it's natural oils.

Vitamin C

This can be taken orally as a supplement, or applied topically (targeted nutrient delivery via vitamin c-infused skin care products).

Vitamin C converts dopaquinone to L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), which prevents excess melanin formation.

Vitamin C serums can be applied right after exfoliating. Not only do they gently brighten the skin, they hydrate the skin and offer a mild form of sun protection.

Éclat Organic Vitamin C Serum is a great addition to your skincare routine.

Sunscreen

So important!

Sunscreen not only tackles hyperpigmentation, it slows down wrinkling and prevents skin cancer resulting from over penetration of the sun’s rays. This means it should be applied on the face, as well as other exposed parts of the body.

You must choose the right sunscreen in order not to waste money and time on an ineffective product. Dermatologists recommend a broad spectrum sunscreen, which means it offers protection against UVA (responsible for hyperpigmentation, age spots and wrinkling), and UVB (responsible for sunburn).

Overexposure to both UVA & UVB can increases the risk of skin cancer.

Your sunscreen must also have the right sun protecting factor (SPF). Choose a sunscreen that has an SPF of 30 or higher.

There are two types of sunscreen. The first type are mineral sunscreens. They contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, and are great even for sensitive skin. They form a physical barrier to the sun on your skin. Next are chemical sunscreens, which typically contain avobenzone, oxybezone, octinoxate and octisalate. Products containing these are also great and get the job done. They should however be avoided by those with sensitive skin.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunscreen, CeraVe Hydrating Sunscreen, MD Solar Sciences Mineral Crème Broad Spectrum Sunscreen are excellent choices for sun protection.

Also note that having SPF in your makeup isn't sufficient for the health benefits of sunscreen. This is because makeup may not be applied in sufficient quantity to bestow adequate sun protection. Dedicated sunscreen is still required.

Apply your sunscreen before your moisturizer. Let it sit for about one minute and your moisturizer can follow. If you have a moisturizing sunscreen, then you can skip the moisturizer altogether.

For maximum protection, all sunscreens must be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure, reapplied every 2 hours, or after swimming or sweating.

Moisturizer

While this has no direct effect on hyperpigmentation, it helps keep the skin supple and hydrated. Skin healthcare is incomplete without a daily moisturizer.

Dermatologists swear by Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel because it gets the job done.

Vitamin A Derivatives (Retinol)

Retinol stimulates cell turnover, which helps accelerate the lifting of hyperpigmented cells. Retinol is amazing for clearing up hyperpigmentation, especially when used for long term management of melasma to keep it at bay. Retinol usage is a marathon, not a sprint. Improvements become apparent after 3 months of use and best results are acheived after 6 months to a year of consistent use.

It is best to use a 0.25 to 0.5 strength Retinol product and use it 2 to 3 times a week (at night). If no skin irritation occurs, usage frequency can be increased to 4 times a week.

Retinol is more gentle on the skin than some other vitamin A derivatives, which may be harsher on the skin.

Besides the treatment of melasma and hyperpigmentation, retinol has the added benefit of treating and preventing acne inflammation.

Eclat Retinol Serum 2.5% is worth checking out.

It is important to note that retinol shouldn't be used by pregnant women or women trying to conceive. In this case, bakuchiol is a safe alternative. Bakuchiol is a plant based alternative to retinol, with similar positive effects on the skin. It can be used throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Bakuchiol is derived from the seeds and leaves of the Psoralea cortlifolia plant, commonly called babchi.

Melasma can be cleared up and effectively managed. Adequate skin care is important to clear it up and keep flare ups at bay.

Not everyday is a makeup kinda day. Even you can do without make up if you don’t feel like it, because there would be no blemish to hide. Beautiful, clear skin is possible. And you shouldn't settle.