In this post, Kay (IG: @Kaygebeauty) and I discuss the importance of combining skincare Ingredients when it comes to hyperpigmentation, and which ones to combine. For example, azelaic acid and retinol, niacinamide and retinol, hydroquinone and tretinoin, kojic acid and glycolic acid, tranexamic acid, arbutin, and more.
Dark Marks: How Long Does it Take Skincare to Work
Dark marks can be tough to treat, but did you know that you can effectively get rid of dark spots/marks very fast? It just would require more from you.
We will cover:
Well-known pigment lighteners and how long they take to work
Treatments like chemical peels and lasers and how long those take to work.
Combinations of both topicals and treatments and how long the combo takes to work.
Factors that influence how quickly or slowly your spots fade.
Rule of Thumb
If you’re consistent with your skincare, it can take 1-3 months on the face and 3-6 months on the body to get rid of dark spots/marks. This difference in timeframe is because the skin on your body is much thicker than on your face. If you do nothing, it can take years, especially as an adult. Your skin cells aren’t turning over as quickly as they used to be when you were younger. So, don’t go looking at yourself in the mirror after one week of using your skincare product.
That said, are there products that can show results in 7 days? Yes! But those products usually contain steroids or mercury. Steroids thin the skin after prolonged use, and mercury is toxic.
Pigment Lighteners: how long they take to show improvement/work
Tretinoin 4 weeks
Hq 4-8% 1-3 months
Azelaic acid 20% 1-3 months
4% HQ and tretinoin 4-12 weeks
Azelaic acid 20% and glycolic acid 12 weeks
Kojic acid 12 weeks
Alpha arbutin 12 weeks
Kojic acid, arbutin and glycolic acid 4 weeks
Tranexamic acid 4-12 weeks
AHAs 12 weeks
Vitamin c (if you get a good one) 3- 2 months
Niacinamide (I honestly don’t rely on this alone to treat my hyperpigmentation unless it’s been combined with vitamin c, kojic acid, aha, or retinoid) 8-12 weeks
Combination (topicals and laser or peel): 6-8 weeks (favorite method for stubborn spots, also more cost-effective than relying on treatments alone)
Chemical peel (depending on the depth of the peel) after 3- 6 treatments (cosmelan)
Laser (picosure): After 3-4 treatments (These treatments are spaced about by at least 2 to 4 weeks, or sometimes as long as 8 weeks if you have sensitive skin or a darker complexion).
Influencing Factors
How deep the hyperpigmentation is (when it comes to the seriousness of hyperpigmentation, there are two types: epidermal and dermal pigmentation)
Consistency
Skin types/genes
Your average daily sun exposure
Question
Be honest, how long do you give your skincare products before you start losing hope?
Recommended post: 4 Best Ways to Remove Scars from Legs Fast https://bit.ly/2UWo1yt
I went through a phase of my life where I had a lot on my plate. So, I stumbled upon this Adderall-like pill that was supposed to help me juggle it all and decided to give it a go. The medication was supposed to make you superhuman-kinda like the guy in limitless, but that pill was bad news. Not only did it stress out my entire being & mess up my health, but I watched my skin get darker even though I was maintaining the same skincare routine. It all came down to one major habit: not getting enough sleep. So bad habits and not getting enough sleep can affect your appearance and cause your skin to get darker. That’s point number 1
Number 2 – Sun exposure
When I was younger, I thought it was a brilliant idea to study outside. Then, I wasn’t well educated on the harmful effects of the sun, so I would apply creams, including a cream as strong as hydroquinone, and then go and sit outside all afternoon. Not only did my spots take longer to fade, but my skin got darker even though I was diligent with my skincare routine. So frequent sun exposure can cause your skin to get darker.
Number 3 – Sunscreen
On more than one occasion, I’ve had someone tell me that they think that their sunscreen is making them darker. What is that all about? I’ve read that if your sunscreen stresses your skin, it can cause your skin to get darker. The critical ingredient that is at the root of this stress is oxybenzone. Thankfully, In recent times though, many brands have started avoiding this ingredient and not including it in their sunscreen. Another potential cause of your skin getting darker after applying sunscreen is white cast. This effect is prevalent with a lot of mineral sunscreens. Mineral sunscreens usually contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide; these ingredients leave a white cast on the skin. Over time that white cast turns grey, and the result is your skin looking darker because it has this grey cast over it (I learned this from a fellow YouTuber, Chuks )
Number 4 – Another cause is your skincare products.
Sometimes brands change the formulation of their products, and when you restock and continue using the product, as usual, you realize it’s no longer “giving what it was supposed to give” (credit: rolling ray). For some reason, it no longer has that brightening effect it had before.
Number 5 – Not being consistent with your routine or trying a new skincare product.
Life happens, you get overwhelmed, and then suddenly you slack on your skincare routine. This can cause your skin to get darker because whatever was causing your skin to be bright and vibrant, you’re no longer feeding it to your skin. Another one is trying a new skincare product. If you notice that your skin has gotten darker since adding a new skincare product, that could signify that your skin is not happy with that product. It could be irritating your skin, and it could be clashing with another product you’re using.
Number 6 – Skincare Products and factors that cause the skin to get darker
First, no one maintains the same skin tone throughout the years, but some things can accelerate the process, such as environmental conditions, and stress levels. Photosensitive skincare products can cause your skin to get darker when you apply it and expose yourself to the sun without protection—examples: AHA, BHA, Retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, fruit enzymes.
Now let’s address this common question.
Why is my face darker than my body?
All the reasons mentioned above apply here, but there are some additional causative factors. They include medications you’re taking (e.g., non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, amiodarone, and cytotoxic drugs), if you have an autoimmune disease, if you are experiencing hormonal changes and your genetics.
Skincare ingredients and habits that can brighten up the skin
Combining tretinoin with your skin brightening products
Some vitamin c serums, and alpha arbutin, AHAs, sunscreen.
Habits: Avoiding the sun, getting 8 hrs of sound sleep, limiting your sugar intake, and eating fruits and vegetables that brighten the skin, such as strawberries, orange, grapefruit, lemon, eggs, avocado, pineapple, tomatoes, walnuts, spinach, turmeric.
Question
Do you already eat any of the skin brightening foods mentioned? Let me know which ones in the comment section.
Chemical peels work by producing a controlled partial thickness injury to the skin. They are categorized into superficial, medium, and deep peels, depending on the level of penetration, destruction, and inflammation.
Alam, M., Bhatia, A., Kundu, R., Yoo, S., & Chan, H. (2009). Cosmetic Dermatology for Skin of Color (1st ed.). McGraw-Hill Education / Medical.
Rigopoulos, D., & Katoulis, A. C. (2017). Hyperpigmentation (1st ed.). CRC Press.
Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute advice from your physician or other healthcare professionals.
#blackskin #chemicalpeels #hyperpigmentation
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