5 Things That Can Worsen Your Skin Pigmentation

Skin pigmentation or hyper-pigmentation is the dreaded brown, tan, or grey spots that appear on the skin. Now, it’s not something that just happens to women, but the pigmentation is common in men as well. Although people with darker skin tones are more commonly affected, pigmentation can occur on any skin color.
Now the most common types of skin pigmentation are melasma, sunspots, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and believe me when I say that it’s important to know what kind of pigmentation you’re suffering from.
Here’s a short version of the three types to help you learn which kind of hyperpigmentation you’re dealing with:
i. Melasma:

Melasma is usually the result of hormone changes and commonly appears during pregnancies. Melasma may appear anywhere on the body but usually appear on the stomach and the face.

ii. Sunspots:

The name tells you everything. Sunspots appear due to excessive exposure to the sun. They are very common and appear in areas that are exposed to the sun, like face and arms.

iii. Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation:

This kind of hyperpigmentation usually appears after an injury or inflammation on the skin. The example we can all relate to is acne.
Most of you might be looking for treatment options but there are certain cares that you must take into account when dealing with hyperpigmentation. We wouldn’t wanna make that hyperpigmentation any worse than it already might be.
Let’s look at five things that might make your hyperpigmentation worse.
1. Ignoring Solar Protection

The fact that exposure to the sun can make your dark spots even darker is a no-brainer. I cannot stress enough about the importance of protection from solar rays. Lots of people out there are still not making sunscreens a part of their routines and that can make your hyperpigmentation even worse. Exposure to solar rays leads to a higher production of melanin and more pigmentation on your skin. So, invest in sunblocks, hats, and clothes that can protect your whole body from the sun.
2. Unsupervised Use of Topical Medication

There are many topical medicines used to treat hyperpigmentation, one of the most popular ingredients in these medications being hydroquinone. While hydroquinone can lighten the skin but prolonged use of hydroquinone without any expert’s supervision can actually lead to the darkening of your skin.

3. Picking at your Face

Most of us are guilty of the constant need to touch our face especially when we’re breaking out but it’s time you leave your face alone. Constantly picking or worse scratching at your acne or even blackheads will in no way help clearing your skin but what it will do is lead to more pigmentation.

4. Stress and Unhealthy Diet

Yes, just another problem caused by stress. Stress is not only an instigator of hyperpigmentation but it actually makes things worse. To top all of it, once you’re prey to hyperpigmentation, you have to be really, really careful with what you’re consuming. When it comes to food, “Psoralens” are to watch out for. Psoralen is the natural insecticide produced by the plants to repel insects but it can actually increase the production of melanin in your skin and allow pigmentation to get worse.
Not only psoralens, but an unhealthy diet can also make the matter a lot worse for you. Consuming unhealthy food especially dairy can lead to acne and inflammations that further lead to more hyperpigmentation.

So, try to practice zen-like calm using stress management techniques like meditation, breathing exercises. They will not only do wonders to your skin but will help a great deal with pigmentation. If you’re confused about your diet, you can watch my video on YouTube where I’ve discussed what kind of diet you need to improve pigmentation.

5. Random Home Remedies

Now, I’m all for a holistic approach to skincare routines and home remedies for skincare problems but when dealing with sensitive problems like hyperpigmentation, please don’t just throw anything on your face. Many people will advise you to use lemon on your skin but that can actually make your pigmentation way worse and also make it super-sensitive to the sun. So, before going for any home remedies, it’s always best to fact check the hacks.

There you have it, guys. If you were wondering before why your pigmentation was getting worse, you’ve probably figured it out by now. So, if you’re guilty of doing any of the above things before, it’s time you correct your habits and let your skin thank you for it!

Hope this will help you manage your pigmentation better.

Love and Health

Uma

Website
www.theumashow.com

Follow me on

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theumashow/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umagd/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/uma-ghosh