Our daily stressful routines have a way of showing up on our faces in the form of stubborn dark circles and uneven skin tone. These differences in pigment on the face can affect an individual’s self-esteem, making the concern a matter of importance.
Facial pigmentation is extremely common and can affect individuals as early as in their 20s. It isn’t a major skin concern, but understanding its causes can help you strategize and achieve the radiant skin of your dreams.
What Causes Pigmentation on your Face?
Pigmentation is a natural process of the body, supplementing color to the skin, predetermined based on one’s geographical location and genetics. Irregular pigmentation on the face, or facial hyperpigmentation in the areas around your eyes, occurs due to the release of melanin, often defined based on sun exposure, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal changes, aging, medications and inflammation.
While sunlight is essential for the body to derive vitamin D, excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays can trigger the skin’s protective mechanism. This can stimulate the melanocytes, resulting in a surge of pigment across the inflamed skin as an immune response.
Similarly, erratic changes in one’s hormones (menstruation, pregnancy, OCPs), deficiencies of iron, vitamin B12, as well as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation after trauma to the skin, can all result in pigmentation under the eyes.
Effective Remedies for Under-Eye Pigmentation
Compared to the skin on the rest of your face, the under-eye area is especially delicate and thinner, making it more prone to early signs of aging, inflammation, and discoloration.
Here are some of the strategies you can adopt to help with the pigmentation:
Incorporate topical solutions in your skincare
Topical agents are one of the most common primary remedies to target pigmentation across the skin. Even a beginner can incorporate active ingredients such as vitamin C, niacinamide, alpha arbutin, or retinoids into their skincare routine. However, ensure that you begin with products of lower concentration to help your skin get accustomed to the ingredient before using it full-fledgedly.
Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily
SPF 50+ sunscreen has become a market standard to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun and reduce potential inflammation from the active ingredients. All you need to do is use a coin’s worth of sun protection after your routine and reapply every two hours, especially if you are outdoors in the sun.
Under-eye creams
There are several dermatologically proven undereye creams in the market that are specifically formulated to ease puffiness, boost collagen and reduce pigmentation in the areas around the eye. These formulations include ingredients such as caffeine, peptides, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and more. The actives can help improve skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of dark circles and fine lines over time.
Professional Treatments for Under Eye Pigmentation
Apart from a holistic skincare routine, on account of exasperated pigmentation, one can also consult their dermatologist for more intensive solutions such as:
- Intense pulsed light (IPL): This treatment involves a shot of light into the skin through a coupling gel to treat uneven skin tone, proving effective for patients with Fitzpatrick types 1-3.
- Radiofrequency (RF): As opposed to IPL, radiofrequency utilizes thermal energy to treat the skin without any adverse burning effect. This proves useful to treat uneven skin structures and can be used across a variety of skin types.
- Laser therapy: Common lasers, such as Q-switched ones, are employed to target and break down melanin in the skin, making it adequate for individuals with Fitzpatrick types 1 and 2.
- Chemical Peels: This is an invasive type of treatment for dark circles, which leverages actives like lactic acid to exfoliate the skin and improve tone and texture.
One should also be cautious of utilizing harsh products and incessantly rubbing their eye area to avoid further inflammation.
Conclusion
Treating skin pigmentation is a long-term process, involving consistent efforts and precautionary measures like sunscreen application to encourage sustained benefits to the skin. By incorporating the above-mentioned strategies and a well-balanced lifestyle, you can take proactive steps towards achieving a more even toned and radiant complexion over time.
