While sun damage can present in many unpleasant ways, one of the most noticeable complaints on your skin is hyperpigmentation.
The number one cause of hyperpigmentation is sun exposure. These dark spots on the skin occur when an excess of melanin, the brown pigment that produces normal skin color, forms deposits. Once these dark spots have taken up residency on your skin, the sun can then make them even more prominent. Cutting down the amount of time you spend in direct sunlight and wearing a sunblock of SPF 30 or higher can reduce the chance of forming hyperpigmentation, but luckily there are also very effective ways to treat these imperfections once they have already appeared.
Applying a thin layer of Vitamin C every morning should be a part of your daily routine. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent new pigment from forming. It is also essential in collagen formation. L-Ascorbic acid, a potent form of Vitamin C, exfoliates surface pigmentation, resulting in a brighter complexion and more even skin tone.
Alpha Hydroxy Acids can aid in repairing sun damage by exfoliating and sloughing off dead, damaged skin cells. This encourages live skin cell production and improves the appearance and texture of aging skin.
Retinols, or Vitamin A derivatives, are often used to treat sun damage by speeding up skin cell turnover and stimulating collagen production. Retinols thin the top layer of dead skin cells to target and break up skin discoloration and refine skin tone, while softening fine lines and wrinkles, too.
Post-summer chemical peels have many benefits when it comes to restoring healthier looking skin and promoting a more uniform complexion. Peels come in a variety of strengths and ingredients, and offer little to no downtime as they address each individual’s needs. By rapidly exfoliating the uppermost layers of the skin, you will notice visible results in the lessening of sun spots, hyperpigmentation, melasma, and fine lines, all while restoring a healthy tone and smoother texture to your skin.