Posts Tagged ‘pigmentation’

Achieving an Even Skin Tone: how to prevent and treat hyperpigmentation

In the past, anti-aging skincare was all about combating wrinkles, texture issues, and sagging skin.  Nowadays, evening out skin tone (reducing dark spots) plays a huge role in achieving a more youthful looking skin.

The problem is that most of us didn’t realize the damage that was happening to our skin (by not using a daily SPF product) until it was too late.  Now we are all scrambling to find the best answer to lighten pigmentation spots without wasting our money on the latest ‘miracle in a jar’.  Is it really possible to lighten dark spots on your skin with a cream or a masque that we see on TV commercials and in magazine ads? Probably not.  Let’s face it, getting rid of dark spots on the skin takes a lot of time and effort and one simple product is just not going to do the job.  What we need is a skincare system designed for our skin’s needs and we need to use it properly and diligently.

Obagi Medical is a leader in complete skin rejuvenation using specific top-quality ingredients to prevent and correct all types of skin conditions including skin with hyper/hypo-pigmentation.  Obagi is most well-know for their Nu-Derm system  which effectively treats all signs of aging and evens out skin tone using products that contain proven pigmentation lighteners like arbutin or hydroquinone.  Another excellent system is the Obagi-C RX System which also has products which contain arbutin and hydroquinone, but the Obagi-C system also contains premium grade Vitamin C in the L-Ascorbic Acid form.  This form of Vitamin C penetrates deep into the skin to stimulate collagen synthesis as well as acts an an powerful antioxidant which protects your skin from harmful free radical damage.

Here is a brief breakdown of each Obagi System for lightening skin pigmentation:

The Obagi Nu-Derm FX System (with arbutin) is suitable for anyone with no to mild pigmentation, fine lines, wrinkles, loss of elasticity, texture issues, and/or adult acne.

The Obagi Nu-Derm System (with hydroquinone) is suited for anyone with mild to stubborn pigmentation (including melasma), fine lines, wrinkles, loss of elasticity, texture issues, and/or adult acne.

The Obagi C-FX System (with arbutin) is made for anyone with no to mild pigmentation, minimal signs of aging, and mild texture issues.

The Obagi-C RX System (with hydroquinone) is excellent for anyone with mild to moderate pigmentation, minimal signs of aging, and mild texture issues.

Each system comes in a starter set with full sized products and it is highly recommended to use all of the products in the set for best results.  Additionally, a prescription retinol (Vitamin A) may be added to the regime to greatly boost results.  The daily use of an SPF product is mandatory and if it is not properly used you should not expect to achieve good results.  A daily SPF is not only necessary during treatment, but continuously after treatment as well to prevent recurring pigmentation damage as well as skin aging.

Watch to learn more about each system>>

 

We would love to hear your thoughts on the topic of this blog!  Feel free to post your comments or questions below.  As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!

 

After sun skin care in 3 steps

I’ve just returned from spring break in Cancun, Mexico and even though I used sun protection, my skin needs some serious TLC!  I feel for those people who were laying out covered in oil every day (yes, there were many).  I can just imagine the long-term damage they have now done to their skin.  I want to share with you 3 steps in caring for your skin after it’s been over-exposed to the sun.

Your skin is probably flaky, dry, tight, and maybe even peeling.  Your first thought may be that you want to exfoliate to remove that dead skin, but it’s not a good idea in the beginning as your skin has probably burned and will need to recover before you can give it a good scrub.

Step 1: Hydrate and Soothe

Your first priority is healing the burn and re-hydrating the skin.  When your skin is dehydrated or dry it is lacking the lipid shield which prevents outside aggressors from entering your skin and causing damage – even infection.  Use healing, calming, and hydrating products in the beginning until your skin recovers from the redness and sensitivity.

Step 2: Exfoliate

Once your skin has healed from burn damage, you can begin to exfoliate to remove the built up layer of dead skin cells.  Your skin may feel thicker, look dull and tired, and show signs of pigmentation (freckles).  I like to use 2 different types of exfoliators interchangeably for my face: physical and enzymatic.  A physical exfoliator is your typical ‘scrub’ type exfoliator that uses abrasion to polish the surface of the skin.  An enzyme exfoliator can be a plant enzyme-based or hydroxy acid-based ‘peel’ type exfoliator.  For the body you can choose a scrub, an exfoliating glove, or a loofa.  Be sure to apply a moisturizer afterward as it will now be able to penetrate the skin more readily.

Step 3: Even Out Skin Tone

If you notice dark spots or irregular freckles on your skin you’ve probably experienced some pigmentation damage called hyperpigmentation (light spots are called hypopigmentation).  This is a result of UV exposure and unfortunately can be very stubborn to treat.  For mild pigmentation you may begin a skincare regime that involves a gentle (probably plant-based) skin brightener.  Vitamin C in some forms is also said to be a great skin brightener (among other things).  For more noticeable and hard to treat pigmentation you may want to use a skincare regime using stronger skin brightening ingredients such as arbutin or hydroquinone.  For best results you will also incorporate an appropriate exfoliation routine.  When using any skin brightening products it is very much recommended to avoid sun exposure and use broad spectrum SPF religeously.  Always check with your dermatologist or esthetician before beginning any intensive skincare regime.

As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!