Treat and prevent pigment spots

What are pigment spots?

Pigment spots, especially age spots, are considered unattractive, even if they generally do not pose a health risk. The brownish, non-raised skin discolouration makes the complexion appear restless and older. On the face, hyperpigmentation such as age spots can be masked with makeup, but there are also ways to permanently fade pigment spots. Although dermatological treatments promise quick and lasting success, they also have undesirable side effects. Alternatively, there are many, albeit unfortunately mostly ineffective, home remedies that are recommended. A much better option is skin-friendly natural cosmetic active ingredients that slowly fade pigment spots without side effects.

Common types of pigment spots

There are 4 common types of hyperpigmentation:

• Sunspots or age spots usually appear after the age of 40. These small pigment shifts occur primarily in the body regions that are most exposed to sunlight: on the face, neck area, and on the forearms and hands.
• Melasma have frayed edges and tend to be larger than other pigment spots. They are mostly hormonally caused by an excess of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone, for example during pregnancy. Melasma also develops on skin areas that are particularly frequently exposed to the sun.
• Post-inflammatory discolourations such as pimples usually appear after inflammatory skin diseases such as acne or after skin injuries. When the wound has healed, a darkly pigmented patch of skin may remain due to an overproduction of melanin.
• Freckles are small reddish to golden brown pigment spots on the face, arms and shoulders, which appear in summer in very light-skinned people of the Celtic skin type with particularly light-sensitive skin. In the sunless months, freckles fade again.

Are pigment spots dangerous?

In principle, pigment spots are harmless. Freckles are even considered attractive and underline a natural charisma. Other hyperpigmentations such as sun or age spots are perceived as annoying, although they do not have to be removed from a medical point of view.

If, in exceptional cases, a pigment spot has an asymmetrical shape, has a tapering border, dark and light color gradations, increases in size or changes for a short time, this can be a degeneration and indicate a malignant melanoma or skin cancer Clues. In such a case, you should have the hyperpigmentation checked by a dermatologist.

How do pigment spots form?

The pigment melanin, which is produced by melanocyte cells, is responsible for the natural tan color of the skin as protection against sunlight. Melanin protects the skin against cell damage. Dark pigment spots appear when the melanocytes of the epidermis, i.e. the uppermost layers of the skin, produce excessive amounts of melanin and local accumulations of the pigment occur.

What are the causes of pigment spots? 

Pigment spots can have many causes. These are the most important:

• UV radiation
  The formation of pigment spots is mainly related to excessive UV radiation from extensive sunbathing and a lack of sun protection.
• Toxic substances caused by oxidative stress
  Pigmentation disorders caused by sun or age spots are also a result of oxidation processes in the skin. When the unsaturated fatty acids of cell membranes are damaged by oxidative stress, waste products are formed, e.g. as accumulations of the pigment lipofuscin. They become visible as dark spots.
• Genetic and hormonal factors
  Hereditary predisposition favors the development of pigment spots. Hyperpigmentation is more common in women than in men. Pigment disorders are aggravated by long-term use of hormonal contraceptives.
• Diseases and medication
  Diseases such as an overactive or underactive thyroid gland or diabetes mellitus can also lead to hyperpigmentation. Some antibiotics or chemotherapeutic drugs also increase the skin's sensitivity to light.

Brighten pigment spots with natural ingredients 

Natural active ingredients such as vitamin C, bakuchiol or niacinamide help against pigment spots in a skin-friendly and proven effective way. They don't remove age spots instantly, but they fade them so that hyperpigmentation gradually becomes less and less visible.

• Vitamin C
  Vitamin C ensures that melanin that has already been stored in the darkened skin cells is removed more quickly. Vitamin C also has the ability to inhibit the formation of new hyperpigmentation and to make the complexion more even. With its antioxidant effect, vitamin C prevents environmental cell damage caused by free radicals. Vitamin C also improves the skin's own protection against UV radiation in combination with sun protection. The myrto Vitamin C Complex Serum is therefore the ideal supplement to the Sunshine Day Oil and should become a permanent part of your skincare routine when you're struggling with pigment spots.
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• Niacinamide
  Vitamin B3 or niacinamide not only works against impurities and pimples, but also inhibits the formation of melanin in the pigment cells, so that dark discolorations become lighter. Our Niacinamide Complex Serum contains 11% niacinamide. It is therefore extremely effective against hyperpigmentation such as age spots or dark pimple marks.

• Bakuchiol
  Bakuchiol is the natural and skin-friendly alternative to synthetic retinol, which is known for its potentially irritating side effects. Bakuchiol stimulates cell division so that the upper layers of the skin are renewed more quickly and pigment or age spots fade significantly. The myrto Bakuchiol Serum contains a pure active ingredient content of 1% Bakuchiol. How can you prevent pigment spots?

Can you remove pigment spots with home remedies?

Home remedies such as lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, baking powder or raw potatoes are said to help against pigment spots. What is it?

• Lemon juice: The pH value of a fresh lemon is around 2.4. The juice, regularly applied undiluted to the skin, will therefore lead to skin irritation. In addition, lemon juice is phototoxic and causes new pigment spots when exposed to the sun.
• Apple cider vinegar: It's a similar story with the supposedly lightening acid in apple cider vinegar. The pH is very low at 2 - 10%. 3, therefore apple cider vinegar also irritates the skin and counteracts wound healing.
• Baking soda: It is recommended to mix baking soda with water and apply directly to the skin. Baking powder has a strongly alkaline pH of 9-10. Our skin, on the other hand, has a slightly acidic pH value of 5.0 to 5.5. Baking soda destroys the natural acid protection of the skin and leads to irritation and itching.
• Raw potatoes: They contain vitamin C and vitamin B3, which actually work against pigment spots. Also, raw potatoes do not damage the skin barrier. However, the active ingredient concentration is too low to achieve a visible effect.

Have pigment disorders removed dermatologically

There are many dermatological forms of treatment for the medical removal of pigment spots, but they all have their unpleasant side effects.

• Laser therapy: In dermatological laser treatments, pigment accumulations are destroyed using laser light-based energy.
• Microneedling: With professional needling, a so-called dermapen with many small needles is placed on the hyperpigmented skin areas and repeatedly inserted into the tissue. The micro-injuries are intended to reduce annoying pigment spots on the skin and stimulate collagen formation.
• Microdermabrasion: With this treatment, the top layer of skin is abraded with a special polishing device made of the finest crystals in order to stimulate skin renewal, smooth the skin and reduce pigment disorders.
• Cryotherapy: With this method, the hyperpigmentation is frozen with liquid nitrogen. The hyperpigmented cells die off due to the extreme cold. The cold shock is intended to stimulate the formation of new collagen tissue.
• Peeling against pigment spots: In this dermatological treatment, chemical substances, concentrated fruit acids or trichloroacetic acid are applied to the pigmented areas of the skin. As a result, the upper layers of the skin peel off. This is intended to stimulate the formation of new skin cells.

Disadvantages of dermatological interventions

• Skin irritation: After dermatological treatments, there is a long-term increase in sensitivity to light, as well as increased skin irritation, redness, swelling or even scarring. After laser therapy, for example, the skin must not be exposed to the sun for at least 4 months - except with a sun protection factor of 50. Even after many months or even years, the extensively treated skin hardly manages to regain its former balance and build up a strong skin barrier. Skin that has been damaged in this way is all the more susceptible to the development of new pigment spots.
• Vitamin D deficiency: After dermatological treatments, a permanently very high sun protection factor is necessary. This favors a vitamin D deficiency, because the body's own vitamin D production is completely prevented. This leads to a vitamin D deficiency, which manifests itself in constant tiredness, exhaustion and exhaustion. A vitamin D deficiency can also be responsible for an increased susceptibility to infections, depression or hair loss.

How can you prevent pigment spots?

• Consistent sun protection
  In order to prevent pigment spots, consistent sun protection is necessary above all. You should generally avoid the midday sun between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in summer. Extensive sunbathing is also not advisable if you want to prevent UV-related skin damage such as pigment spots. Protect your face, neck and cleavage with a sun hat, protect your eyes with high-quality sunglasses. Cover your most vulnerable parts of the body with clothing made from natural fibers for effective sun protection.
• Care combinations
  Care combinations work even better than individual products. But: Don't start with the highest active ingredient concentration. Introduce one product at a time into your skin care routine – not all at the same time! An example is the combination of niacinamide and vitamin C serum, applied one after the other as a duo. While vitamin C primarily acts as an antioxidant to protect against damaging environmental influences, niacinamide has also proven its worth on impure skin.
  
• Patience for deep-seated pigment spots
  You need a lot of patience to effectively combat deeper-seated pigment spots with natural active ingredients. The deeper the dark skin pigment melanin is deposited, the longer it takes for the discolouration to visibly lighten. In the case of deep melanin deposits, this can take several months, sometimes even years.
• Antioxidants from within
  You can not only prevent pigment spots from the outside, but also from the inside by eating plenty of vitamin-rich fruits, raw vegetables and nuts ; puts it on your menu, if possible seasonal and from organic farming.

Conclusion

You see, nature offers a whole range of powerful active ingredients for your care routine, with which pigment spots can be removed in a skin-friendly manner and discolouration on the face can be effectively reduced. In this way you create the best conditions for an even, uniform complexion in the long term.

You can find more information and products in the Advice on pigment spots.