What is pigmentation?
Pigmentation is just a technical term that is a darkening of the skin, an innocuous condition that can be caused by superfluous melanin. The deposition of melanin protein pigment is produced by the melanocytes which were present in the epidermis and hair follicles and are responsible for providing colors to the skin, hair, retina, or mucous membranes.
One main reason for Increased melanin production is the sun exposure of the skin, hence resulting in a darkening skin tone in the exposed areas. Dark circles, acne marks, sun tanning, age, spots, or freckles all of which come under the umbrella of pigmentation.
- Melanin deposit and skin tone are directly related to each other. A low deposit of melanin results in a fair skin tone, this condition is called Hypo-pigmentation.
- On the other hand, high deposits of melanin make the skin darker and leads to dark spots, patches, or discoloration of the skin known as Hyper-pigmentation.
As noted above, this disease completely depends upon the amount of melanin pigment produced and stored in the skin.
The amount of melanin production depends upon individual genetics and exposure to sunlight. With high exposure to sunlight, more melanin is produced in the skin and vice-versa. More often, hormonal changes are also responsible for melanin production.
Causes Skin Pigmentation
The factors that contribute to increasing in melanin production are responsible for this disease. Some of the factors are:
- Excessive UV Exposure Sun’s ultraviolet light is the major cause of the uneven increase in melanin pigment. Sunburn leads to discoloration of the skin and even increases the risk of skin cancer.
- Poor Liver function ailments like fatty liver or cirrhosis lead to hyper-pigmentation, Inactive kidney functioning which produces toxins in the body leads to skin color changes and Gall bladder ailments like Jaundice leads to yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes.
- Skin injuries – An inflammatory reaction on the skin due to cuts, bruises, the improper technique of hair removal, or depilatory creams.
- Hormonal changes – Female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone leads to excessive production of melanin due to various reasons like taking birth control pills or even during pregnancy or even when the skin is been exposed to the sun.
- Taking certain medications – Medications like tetracycline, antibiotics, retinoids, and chemotherapy can also have possible causes for pigmentation.
- With aging, the skin becomes thin and translucent and decreases the pigment-containing cells(melanocytes). Hence the strength of the skin reduces, and dermis blood vessels become fragile leading to darkening and bleeding in the skin.
- Disease of the gastrointestinal tract – Constipation, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Lactose intolerance, or like.
Excessive UV Exposure Sun’s ultraviolet light is the major cause of the uneven increase in melanin pigment. Sunburn leads to discoloration of the skin and even increases the risk of skin cancer.
Poor Liver function ailments like fatty liver or cirrhosis lead to hyper-pigmentation, Inactive kidney functioning which produces toxins in the body leads to skin color changes and Gall bladder ailments like Jaundice leads to yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes.
Skin injuries – An inflammatory reaction on the skin due to cuts, bruises, the improper technique of hair removal, or depilatory creams.
Hormonal changes – Female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone leads to excessive production of melanin due to various reasons like taking birth control pills or even during pregnancy or even when the skin is been exposed to the sun.
Taking certain medications – Medications like tetracycline, antibiotics, retinoids, and chemotherapy can also have possible causes for pigmentation.
With aging, the skin becomes thin and translucent and decreases the pigment-containing cells(melanocytes). Hence the strength of the skin reduces, and dermis blood vessels become fragile leading to darkening and bleeding in the skin.
Disease of the gastrointestinal tract – Constipation, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Lactose intolerance, or like.
Types of skin pigmentation
There are two broad categories of pigmentation conditions as mentioned above. Hyper and hypo pigmentation and in these two there are different categories of pigmentation. Let’s check it out!
Hypopigmentation
This condition occurs when the production of melanin is in a modest quantity. The types of illnesses are as below.
Albinism is derived from the Latin word called “Albus” which means “White, which is a rare genetic disorder characterized by little or absence of melanin that leads to white skin, white hair, and blue or pink eyes from birth. This congenital melanin absence is present even in animals and plants.
- Pityriasis alba is a benign skin disorder that affects children from 3 to 16 years which is projected at 5% in the United States and has a very higher pervasiveness in Egypt (18%) and Mali (20%).
- The name (Pityriasis alba) can be split to identify the real meaning that Pityriasis denotes its fine scales and alba refers to its pale colon (hypopigmentation).
- Physical characteristic reveals round or oval hypopigmented lesions or macules that are distributed predominantly on the face, neck, upper arms, and upper trunk with fine scales and indistinct margins.
- The commencement of vitiligo can be as early as birth or even in the late 80s it is a chronic autoimmune disorder clinically known as Vitiligo or Leucoderma that causes the skin to lose its normal pigment and so become white which is the result of lack of melanin in the skin.
- Melanin (Melanocytes) is the protein that produces pigmentation in hair, eye, and skin. When vitiligo is been observed then the immune cells instead of defending against the virus or infection from our body rather it works in a reverse way, and it will destroy the melanocytes which are the skin cells that make pigment resulting in white patches appearing all over the body even in the hair.
Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation is a term used to describe the condition of excessive secretion of melanin production and hyperpigmentation treatment in Bangalore is depend on the types of illnesses and condition of the skin.
- Melasma also called chloasma usually occurs in pregnant women due to hormonal changes and the overproduction of melanin on the face. This skin problem is more usual in Women than in men as per the survey of the American Academy of Dermatology and causes dark, discolored patches on your skin.
- Melasma even though it’s not contagious and cannot harm your body but lasts even for a lifetime.
- Freckles pigmentation is caused by UV-B radiation from the sun that leads to the light brown, red, or dark brown spotted areas usually found on sun-exposed areas of the body.
- The freckles activate the melanocytes to increase melanin production predominantly in fair complexion people with blond or red hair most often in the summer season.
- Freckles are not so harmful or a sign of any underlying ailments.
- Solar lentigines also called “old age spots” are more common in people over the age of 40 years and result from exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. They are usually flat spots of increased pigmentation which can be oval to round shapes in size.
- Exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun causes local proliferation of melanocytes and accumulation of melanin within the skin cells.
- Post-inflammatory hyper pigmentation (PIH) is usually severe in darker-skinned individuals and is a commonly acquired cutaneous disorder occurring after skin inflammation or injury. This happens when the skin produces excess melanin after an injury or burn acne breakout or aggressive skin treatment.
- PIH can affect either the epidermis or dermis which is the skin’s surface level or deeper level respectively.
Skin Pigmentation Treatment in Bangalore
There are different types of treatment available for every type of pigmentation. These includes:
IPL
- IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light or called photo-rejuvenation or photo facial which is a non-invasive treatment to cure many types of pigmentation as it involves the use of light to absorb melanin (dark pigment) and hemoglobin (the red blood vessels).
- The first and foremost step is to do some pre-procedure steps that need to be taken before proceeding with the therapy the patient’s skin is cleansed, and a cold gel is applied to the area to improve the conductivity of light.
- Intense Pulsed Light plays an important role to nullify the results of sun exposure by applying the beam of light on the affected tissue and helping to improve overall skin texture and tone. The pulsating light energy is focused on the discolored patches of the skin. The unwanted melanocytes have been destroyed by the heating effects on the most affected area and by the thermal destruction of the topmost pigmented skin cells.
- The pulsated light energy also promotes collagen which provides strength and resistance to the skin and the skin layers get restored from beneath after 10-14 days. In the last step, the skin is thoroughly cleansed and protected with a UV protection cream.
- After some days, clear and brighter skin will start to be visible. But before that, immediately after completing the therapies, the affected area may show up with some redness though one can use makeup to hide the area.
- It’s advisable that patients should protect their skin from direct sun exposure or other harsh materials that can be a factor to develop skin pigmentation over time.
- This treatment is highly advised for fair and olive skin tones. On the other hand, people with dark to very dark skin tones are not at all suitable for therapy.
Mesotherapy
- This treatment is not a surgical treatment, but this treatment uses unique pharmaceutical ingredients, natural medications, plant extracts, and vitamins that are injected under the surface layer of the skin. With a very fine needle, this composition is injected into the middle layer of the skin.
- Mesotherapy is more efficient and helps in the removal of free radicals and in managing skin pigmentation conditions like melasma, blemishes, freckles, post-inflammatory hyper pigmentation, and many more. It results in rebuilding collagen fiber and rejuvenating the skin.
- This treatment inhibits melanin production and to get optimum results the mesotherapy should be done at least 3-5 times at regular intervals to get brighten the skin.
Chemical peels
- By applying a chemical solution to the affected skin area like on the face, hands, or on the neck, the damaged skin cells are removed or peeled off which is one of the best skin exfoliation treatments. This cosmetic procedure is non-invasive and can take about 30 minutes and the end results will be seen visibly seen like refreshing and youthful-looking skin.
- There are in total three chemical peels available something Superficial, Medium, or Deep peels depending on the chemicals used like alpha-hydroxyl groups or trichloroacetic acid or glycolic acid, or phenol but do not require anesthesia since it’s a non-invasive procedure.
- The chemical peel is selected based on skin condition and based upon the strength of the chemical being used and the peel’s effectiveness. This therapy takes 6-8 sessions to complete at the time interval of 15 days or as prescribed by the doctor.
Microdermabrasion
- This method is very effective for causing soft exfoliation of the surface layer of skin by applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30+ and PA+++ rating) or by applying moisturizers and helps keep the body hydrated.
- This allows better active-ingredient penetration. It also helps in cell revitalization, improving collagen production, skin elasticity, and tone.
- Eating an antioxidant-rich diet and covering the skin with proper clothes to avoid direct sun exposure and using perfect sunscreens also play very important ways in fighting pigmentation.
Fractional CO2
It’s a non-surgical treatment that is used to improve texture, wrinkles, and blotchiness.
Why Dr. Health Clinic for Pigmentation Issues
- Dr. Health Clinic provides various pigmentation treatments by understanding the patient’s skin and by examining the medical reports.
- Dr. Health clinic patients’ reviews will exhibit to you the best results provided by the doctors for the pigmentation issues with zero side effects and with optimum results.
- You should schedule a consultation with the skin doctor for the best pigmentation treatment in Bangalore if you have any concerns or uncertainties about your pigmentation.
Our Patients Reviews
Best results for skin pigmentaion. I have uneven skin tone. My skin is cured by 90% now. I am getting married in 2 months, hopefully it will fully go by then.
Just wanted to share my experience as it has helped clear a good deal of my melasma. My melasma covered my forehead, a portion of both cheeks and my upper lip. I had been living with it for nearly three years and have dedicated the last two years to combating it in earnest. The most challenging area has been the upper lip however it too has lightened considerably. Those of you who live with the dreaded melasma know what happens when you spend too much time in the sun. The treatment I took with Dr. Pranjal has greatly decreased my melasma and now it is far easier to cover with simple makeup. The mask that she prescribed removed the superficial layer each time thus allowing the medication to penetrate deeper. The treatment has improved the texture of my skin so overall my skin appears healthier.
I took the dull skin treatment at Dr Health and my skin is radiant and glowing. I never could have imagined such quick results. my skin has a youthful look and a silky touch to it. loving my skin! thank you doctor!
Frequently Asked Questions for Pigmentation Treatment
Pigmentation disorders are diagnosed using an ultra violet lamp which establishes the severity and depth of pigmentation. The pigmentation is then categorized into epidermal, dermal and compound types. The epidermal and dermal forms of pigmentation usually respond best to antioxidants, exfoliating agents and sun protection methods. Because of its deep-seated nature, the compound type of pigmentation however is of the resistant type and requires an integrated approach involving several therapies.
Treating Melasma is not like treating just any other form of pigmentation. The common notion is that all kinds of pigmentation can be just abraded off by peeling or scrubbing the skin surface. However constant irritation due to scrubbing can only make Melasma worse. Melasma responds best to non- invasive methods. For Mild cases over-the-counter products which help in reducing the activity of the pigment producing cells can help. For severe cases a combination approach is generally more effective. For those who suffer from sun allergies, a broad-spectrum sunscreen usage is important for successful management of Melasma.
The duration of treatment may vary depending on the severity & depth & chronicity of the pigmentation. When it comes to treating a patient with Melasma, it is important to adhere to the three Ps for maximum results – Patience, Persistence and Precaution. Patience is necessary as there is no magic medicine to peel the Melasma from the surface. Melasma responds better when it is treated both internally and externally. Persistence is necessary in the form of ongoing skin care to maintain the results of the treatment and prevent relapses. Precaution is the third important thing. Exposure to sun and harsh chemical peels need to be avoided as they trigger inflammation and worsen Melasma. Following the three Ps can bring better and lasting results.
