Hyperpigmentation can affect any type of skin. It can show as freckles, uneven skin tone, patches of dark spots and age spots.
Dark spots appear if too much melanin is produced. The clue is in the name – ‘hyper’, meaning excessive and ‘pigment’, in other words colour. Overproduction of melanin while often harmless (not always of course – you need to be mindful of melanoma), these discoloured patches are easy to acquire and are mostly unwelcome blemishes to a complexion. Time in the sun and too much exposure to UV is the usual culprit. Another good reason to be sun smart! Keep in mind too that you might not see pigmentation appear right away, but instead sun damage creeps in many years later. The UV you expose existing sun spots to now will, however, darken or enhance them.
Hormones are also responsible for excess melanin production and hyperpigmentation. Contraception, pregnancy, hypothyroidism and medication can cause hormones to fluctuate and irregular dark spots to appear. Trauma, inflammation (acne) and environmental factors can also play their role. Regardless of what has caused the pigmentation – sun will always make these spots more noticeable. Something for us Indians to be weary of.
Luckily, you can help reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation with the right, organic skincare range – assisting to slow down the production of melanin and, of course, always limit sun exposure and wear an SPF, every day.
Let’s explore a range of EIGHT.OLD natural skincare products to help address hyperpigmentation;
EIGHT.OLD's Summer Special Body Scrub, used morning and night will help the skin cells turn-over thanks to the 3% Lactic Acid in the formula, derived naturally. Lactic Acid encourages faster shedding of the upper skin cells to encourage new cell regeneration. It’s a great humectant (meaning it traps natural moisture and oil content). Rich in moisturising and skin brightening properties, this cleanser will gently stimulate cell turnover without provoking skin irritation.
For a little extra exfoliation, twice or three times a week EIGHT.OLD'S Glow Boosting Facial Polish helps sloth off those dead skin cells and further encourages the cell renewal. The Facial Polish is rich in Papain and comes in a stabilised powder form. Papain eliminates dead cells at the stratum corneum surface (the outer layer of the skin) but does not affect healthy cells. Papain is both keratolytic and anti inflammatory. It is very brightening for the skin and is a wonderful addition to a skin regime to treat pigmentation.
EIGHT.OLD's Skin Brightening Vitamin C Serum: This water based serum deeply soaks into the skin to help deliver the Vitamin C enriched formula, leaving a brighter smoother and more refined complexion specifically working on targeting pigmentation and age spots
Key Ingredients:
Vitamin C: AA2G: This stabilised Vitamin C prevents pigmentation of the skin by suppressing melanin synthesis in melanocytes.
Black Cohosh Root Extract assists correcting the negative effect with diminishing hormones (age spots) while preventing the breakdown of the skin and promoting the skin’s natural hydration
Gotu Cola Extract, derived from Pennywort, this healing extract helps promote the good health of skin tissue and repairing damaged skin tissue
Licorice Extract is sourced from the root of the plant, this is a potent extract with amazing anti inflammatory abilities, skin brightening and calming benefits. It aids in reducing the appearance of age spots and sun damage.
EIGHT.OLD's Uber Hydrating Silky Floral Cream is the ultimate pigmentation treatment. This cream helps to deliver intense anti-ageing skin brightening benefits. The product is designed to achieve a uniform skin tone by lightening uneven areas and dark spots. The active ingredients aid in reducing tyrosine, which produces pigments in the skin. It will help to brighten the overall complexion, by lightening sun damaged skin.
Key Ingredients:
Ascorbyl Glucoside (2%) AA2G (Vitamin C). Again, this stabilised Vitamin C prevents pigmentation of the skin by suppressing melanin synthesis in melanocytes. It also has the ability to reduce the amount of pre-existing melanin, resulting in a lighter pigmentation of the skin
Bearberry Extract inhibits tyrosine, an amino acid that produces pigments in the skin, reducing the appearance of age spots and other pigments.
Snowflake (Leucojum Aestivum Bulb Extract This bulb extract is found to slow down melanocytes proliferation and melanin synthesis inhibition. It will also reduce the effect of and protects the skin from free radicals.
Licorice Extract is sourced from the root of the plant and will aid in illuminating and bringing clarity back to the complexion. The flavonoids and glycosides actively work on the skin’s pigmentation damage caused by ageing and the sun.
In addition to our at home skincare products, a series of skincare at-home regime treatments will deliver wonderful results to a pigmented skin.
