How to Treat Skin Pigmentation

Skin pigmentation disorders occur as a result of the body producing either too much or too little melanin. Skin pigmentation creates a darker or lighter skin tone that may be blotchy and uneven.
Causes of skin pigmentation:
•    Auto immune conditions
•    Drug reactions
•    Genetic factors and medications
•    Hormonal changes
•    Sun damage
The leading cause of skin pigmentation problems is sun damage. Hormonal therapy, childbirth, and birth control pills can also cause skin pigmentation changes. Many people suffer from skin pigmentation problems as a result of locally increased skin pigment production. They appear as age spots, moles, liver spots or hyper pigmentation after local skin damage. Freckles are another variation in pigmentation of the skin. They are caused but by uneven release of the pigment.
How to Treat Pigmented Skin?

1.    Vitamins- Since a deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals such as calcium and vitamins A, E and B also can cause hyper-pigmentation, it’s important to eat right and take a multivitamin. Some suggest combining vitamin A, with etretinate or colchine can help to reduce and change pigmentation.

2.    Laser treatment- It is used to ‘burn off’ the pigmentation that is uneven, allowing for the other pigments that are being created to create a different tone to your skin. Dermabrasion is another complimentary treatment that can remove the skin pigmentation in the same manner.

3.    Different types of peels- A common peel is the chemical peel, which is a combination of glycolic acid with tri-chloro acetic acid. A spot peel, which is more concentrated on the area with glycolic acid, may also, be used. These are both known to target the pigmentation and even wrinkles that are in the skin. Typically, these chemicals will be applied directly to the area that has a different pigment over a series of three weeks in order to create a different look.

4.    Creams- You can buy anti-pigmentation and whitening creams (like White Lily, for example) that will help reduce pigmentation and restore your skin to a more even, lighter skin tone.