All about hyperpigmentation and how to get rid of it (dark spots)

So you get a zit, right?

Depending on your skin tone, not only will you have that zit, but after it goes away, you'll have another spot. This spot won't take days to go away though. It'll take months. 

What is that spot?

In skin terms, spots left behind by zits are post inflammation hyperpigmentation. Basically the long way of saying f**k my life.

How and why do they happen?

Dark spots occur for essentially the same reason a suntan does. Actually, I think one of the best ways to describe the things is as zit-shaped suntans. But anyway...

First of all, a zit is a comedone, or blocked pore, that has been infected. The bacteria and sebum (oil) is all nasty and clogged up together, and your body does its job by sending its defenses to the area to fix it and protect the rest of your body from the bacterial invasion. It's a vulnerable, healing area.

Your skin, depending on your genetics/evolution, has certain levels of a substance called melanin. Blondes with light skin, light hair have lower concentrations of melanin in the skin, whereas someone with darker hair, darker skin have higher concentrations.

Melanin's job is to protect your skin. That's why people in sunnier, hotter climates have evolved to have darker skin in order to protect their skin from the sun and why people in the North are more pale. Each needed a certain amount of melanin in their skin in order to survive their environments. This is why when pale people go out in the sun too long they get burnt. They lack the melanin to better protect themselves in that climate. Also, ever notice how more melanin-y girls tan and don't burn? The sun "brings out" the melanin in their skin to protect them.

However, us girls who tan easily are also more prone to hyperpigmentation. Like our skin would send melanin to our entire skin on the body as a tan "sunshield," when we get zits, it does the same thing. As a zit is a vulnerable area, with any sun exposure, melanin goes to that spot to protect it. But just that spot. Hence, zit-shaped suntans. And they take just as long to go away as a tan-line would, too. 

Like a tan, you can prevent dark spots by wearing sunscreen. If you're protecting the area from the sun, the body doesn't need to send melanin to the zit to protect it. So in short, the best way to fight hyperpigmentation is to prevent and not get it in the first place.

However, if you're like me, and your SPF isn't high enough or you're not applying every two hours as recommended (because who applies sunscreen on top of a full face of makeup), you'll get some spots sneaking through. 

So how to get rid of them. (Aside from the not optional sunscreen!)

1. Exfoliating

Make sure you're taking off the dead layer of skin everyday. It'll remove that top layer of nasty revealing your newer, not browned skin cells. 

Products with AHAs (glycolic/lactic acid on your ingredients list) are really amazing exfoliators. They remove the dead skin without scratching it like a manual scrub.

Try Mario Badescu Glycolic Toner and the Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask

2. Serums

There are some amazing serums (very powerful everyday treatments) out there for lightening pigmentation. Most of them work by exfoliation or have high antioxidant content to fight the free radicals that damage your skin. Vitamin C/Ascorbic acid, licorice, glycolic/lactic (again), are really great ingredients to look for in serums.

Try Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum or Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum

3. Dermatologist prescribed treatment

Many derms will prescribe hydroquinone (which is not always safe) or retinol. While effective, both have side effects. Hydroquinone might cause cancer and is even banned in some countries. Retinol is for the most part safe. It's a super high dose of Vitamin A and causes your skin to exfoliate at super speeds, therefore, getting rid of dark spots. 

I'm personally not the biggest fan of retinol. It definitely works, and works the best, but it makes the skin super thin and sensitive and even more prone to damage. If you're not wearing super high SPF (like think 45+) and applying regularly with retinol treatments, you're not doing yourself a favor anymore.

4. Instant solution

Makeup. *Thanks whoever invented concealer.*

I love theBalm's concealer. It covers everything, and set with some mineral powder, it lasts all day. 

So I hope that helps! Spots are a common problem and a really annoying one, but it is fixable. :)