When layers have been taken too deep, the pigmentation of the skin can be disrupted, resulting in unsightly brown patches due to uneven melanin pigment. What happens is your skin will start to produce more melanin, resulting in dark, blotchy patches of brown.
If you use AHAs to treat existing pigmentation, extra caution is needed because UV light will trigger melanin production and the result will be more intensive discolouration than before. This new pigmentation is often even harder to get rid of. The body is a delicate and amazingly resourceful organ. It won’t do something that’s no longer necessary or ‘being done’ for it. When people start to wear glasses, their eyes often get weaker and if muscles or limbs are not used, they weaken. The skin as well… if you are doing something for it, like removing the dead skin too much with chemicals, the skin will compensate for this and slow down its natural exfoliation rate. After you have exfoliated, yes, your skin does look good, but when you stop exfoliation the skin actually becomes thickened and course, as this natural ability of the skin has slowed. So don’t over do it! Don’t go too deep by using chemical preparations. But yes, still exfoliate but using natural and cheaper AHAs. Not ever}7 day as you would be doing using moisturisers with AHAs. Weekly is enough … and naturally, not chemically. Read on for the “How to” but first…
More on Pigmentation
Unwanted brown patches or pigmentation are formed on parts of the body, face, hands, chest and back which are exposed to the sun. What they are is a grouping of the skin pigment, melanin, which is always produced by the skin in the epidermis. The colour of your skin and your ability to tan is determined by the amount of melanin produced by the melanocytes. Melanin is produced by the body in response to sun exposure. Its purpose is to absorb UV rays and protect the body from the sun.
Types of Pigmentation Liver Spots
There are some types of skin pigmentation that can be caused from things going wrong on the inside. This is probably the reason brown spots on the hands were called ‘liver’ spots. See your health care practitioner if unsure. Still Freckly at Forty?
Freckles (technically known as ephelides) are small brown or tan patches on the skin. They are just colour and have no texture, common in individuals with lighter skin, blond or red hair. They usually disappear around 40 and pop up while very young and get darker with sun exposure … that’s why they fade in winter. If you want to have no freckles then … stay out of the sun.
“Wisdom” Spots
I call them wisdom spots, you earned them! More commonly referred to as ‘age’ spots. (Doesn’t my name sound better?) Known technically as lentigines. Just like freckles, except they appear later in life and everyone can get them, all skin types. Pregnancy Mask
Great news with this one is it disappears in most cases with the birth of the baby… so don’t treat it. Also known as chloasma or melasma. Hormonal changes from the pregnancy are the cause and also the reason it fades once hormones go back to normal. When you are taking oral contraceptives, your body is tricked into thinking it is pregnant so guess what? You can also get unsightly pigmentation from taking the pill. Unfortunately, ver}’ often not all colour fades when you stop taking the contraception.
Browu Blotches? Yon Have Two Choices
… Lighten or Exfoliate!
Choice One: Lighten. If you have pigmentation or discolouration that isn’t fading you can lighten it with those ‘miracle’ and often expensive, skin lightening creams … but once you stop using them the dark patches will be back. Choice Two: Exfoliate. Exfoliating to renew the skin cells will be helpful, by removing the outer skin cells, which are usually darker, you will make your freckles, pigmentation or age spots lighter and less visible.
Do Both … Lighten And Exfoliate At The Same Time
An inexpensive and natural way of lightening pigmentation, and exfoliating at the same time, is the ‘proven’ old fashioned lemon juice routine. It works because lemons (and other citrus fruit to a lesser degree) contain citric acid which is an AHAs (which is why it will exfoliate as well as lighten). Just rub the juice with your fingers on to your skin and leave for at least 10 minutes. Then rinse. If you want to increase the exfoliant factor, dissolve some everyday sugar into the lemon juice before applying.