How To Beat Hyperpigmentation
Bikini season. While these two words may fill some women with excitement, they can be daunting and anxiety-inducing to others thanks to uneven skin tones. If you struggle with dark spots and discoloration around your bikini line, inner thighs, and under the armpits, you may be dealing with a skin condition known as hyperpigmentation.
These light and dark patches create an uneven skin tone, which develops as a result of too much melanin. Melanocytes are a type of skin cell that produce melanin pigment. Melanin is important because it protects our skin from wounds and ultraviolet radiation, otherwise known as UV rays. Our body reacts to inflammation, whether it’s from chafing, shaving, hormones, etc., by producing more pigmentation which can heal as dark spots that potentially leave you feeling insecure about your skin.
3 Major Causes:
Chafing
Chafing is the friction that occurs when skin, especially along the inner thighs, rubs against skin, clothing, or another material. Moisture and sweat can make chafing worse, causing your skin to create more melanin to fight against the irritation. Chafing also causes the skin to be thin, itchy, and discolored over time.
Shaving
Shaving can cause dark spots in some people, especially if done improperly. Shaving without using a high quality shaving cream or using a blunt razor can cause constant rubbing and scraping against the skin, leading to inflammation. Repeated aggression on the skin can lead to dark spots as the skin fights to protect itself. If you’re looking to get the perfect shave this summer and avoid all those painful burns, bumps, and spots, check out this article here.
Hormones
Estrogen and progesterone, the two female sex hormones, can also play a role in how much melanin you produce. A sudden increase in these hormones within the body, such as pregnancy can lead to an overproduction of melanin which creates more dark spots on the skin. Your birth control can even play a part in hyperpigmentation– if your pills contain these hormones and you become imbalanced, more melanin will form.
Hyperpigmentation vs. Scarring
Sometimes dark marks from hyperpigmentation may be confused with scarring on the skin, especially acne scars. Scars and dark spots are not the same thing. Scarring forms as a result of a blemish or mark being picked at or when the wound is deep enough to cause issues in the deeper parts of the skin.
The texture of the skin often remains the same with hyperpigmentation, whereas scars could be low, depressed areas or raised as a result of collagen build-up. Acne scars tend to have lighter tones while hyperpigmentation leads to darker ones.
Preventing Hyperpigmentation
Wearing tight clothing or tight underwear especially after hair removal can lead to more hyperpigmentation, so try to wear looser clothing and opt for cotton underwear.
Proper shaving techniques are crucial when it comes to avoiding hyperpigmentation. Try incorporating a high quality shaving cream, moisturizer, and an after-shave serum into your routine. If you still find that shaving is causing an issue, then try another method of hair removal such as waxing or laser.
Exfoliation can help to remove dead skin cells and allow more evenly pigmented cells to grow, helping you uncover smoother, cleaner skin. However over-exfoliating can cause more damage to your skin.
Treating Hyperpigmentation
Products for treating hyperpigmentation are usually conventional and/or natural. Conventional skin care products usually contain harsh chemicals such as bleaching agents or synthetic acids that may cause more harm to the skin than good, so do your research.
We composed a list of a couple of conventional products with great ratings for you:
Hyper Skin Fade & Glow AHA Mask, which is great for brightening acne-prone skin and removing dark spots.
MELE Even Dark Spot Control Facial Serum, targets dark spots and is especially great for women with a whole lotta melanin!
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops is an award-winning serum using niacinamide to diminish dark spots and give the skin a healthy glow.
Our favorite ways to fight hyperpigmentation are natural remedies. They typically include acids derived from natural substances that can be safer on the skin. Happy Girl’s Bush Oil uses natural oil extracts to prevent thigh chafing and discoloration, as well as softens pubic hair and removes bacteria. Happy Girl’s Exfoliating Bar can be used to exfoliate dark areas that form as a result of dead skin cell build up.
Another highly-rated product using natural ingredients is Andalou Naturals Brightening Turmeric and C Enlighten Serum which uses clean ingredients and vitamin C to fight sun damage and hyperpigmentation as well as brighten and even out skin tones.
How are you beating hyperpigmentation this bikini season? Let us know in the comments below!
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The author.
Allison Kindley is a Digital Media Production & Journalism student at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. She loves working with Team Happy Girl because she gets to inform others on feminine wellness, learn every day, write creatively, and empower women.