Hyperpigmentation is known as stress spots in the acne.org.za family. These are scars present on your skin as a result of acne. They form either from nodules or picking at your pimples, leading to trauma on the skin. No matter how your stress spots form, they are unpleasant. They can lead to insecurities about yourself. Luckily, we know how to address it.
When suffering from extreme scarring, we suggest asking a dermatologist to attend to it. If you have a mild case of stress spots and you’re looking to implement different routines and products, keep reading.
It’s imperative to know what hyperpigmentation looks like based on your skin tone. The difference in your skin’s natural pigment could affect what colour your stress marks are.
Did you know that white spots on the face are also hyperpigmentation?
We have found that some of our clients are unaware that they pick or scratch their skin. It generally happens while working or watching tv. This is known by psychologists as Acne Excoriee: a stress response that leads to skin problems.
Types of skin tones
Hyperpigmentation looks different from person to person based on the varying amounts of melanin each person has. Melanin is the natural pigmentation you have in your skin. How dark your stress spots are, depends on the level of melanin you have. Different types of skin tones can be anywhere from porcelain to a deep golden brown.
- Porcelain to medium skin tone:
The lighter your skin is, the less visible these stress marks or dark spots will be, as you have lower levels of melanin in your skin. The scarring or dark spots you will see are either white, pink, or red marks. These marks will be consistent and won’t go away easily unless you actively try to eliminate them.
2. Olive toned to deep gold-brown toned skin:
The darker your skin, the more visible stress marks will be as you have more melanin. It is not easy to get rid of them. With consistent care, the average mark takes about 24 months or more to lighten. Doctors recommend chemical peels, laser treatment, and the correct skincare products to eliminate these stress spots.
We have a few recommendations based on what we know has helped people over the years.
Our three essential habits to start the healing process of your stress spots
If you are not doing these three essential habits, the below suggestions won’t help. Scarring and pigmentation need healthy habits first and medical or product intervention later. These three habits should be the foundation of your daily routine. You could have spent thousands on skincare but have neglected the daily habits needed for healthy skin.
After you have started and conquered the above essential habits, we recommend our holistic approach to healthy skin that focuses on:
- How you address your body,
- What you put into your body,
- What products you apply to your skin.
Your frame of mind.
We have repeatedly found that if you have a negative perception of your skin, the way you deal with it will be negative — an important skincare lesson. We have seen people feeling terrible about themselves and from that place have an extreme response to skincare. Skincare needs to be dealt with delicately. You only have one skin that needs to last you a lifetime. Going slow, being gentle, and having a positive attitude towards your skin are first on the list for us.
We have written more on this topic here.
Collagen
Amino acids found in collagen are the foundation for repair and growth. Collagen is well known in the beauty industry to decrease wrinkles, fine lines and prevent your skin from sagging. Collagen also assists with tissue regrowth and pigmentation renewal. Taking collagen while trying to combat your stress spots will help speed up the process. It will still take months, but the outcome will be excellent.
Glycolic Acid – AHA – Maintain
We believe in it so much we put our name on it. Glycolic Acid is known as an at-home chemical peel. It provides a deep exfoliation that removes dead skin and is known to lighten stress spots.
Our Glycolic Acid is 10% in strength. If you have darker skin and do not wish to lose your skin’s pigment, use it once a week. However, after consulting with our clients, we have found that you may need to stay out of the sun and have a lighter skin complexion for a while, while you try to combat hyperpigmentation. You will be grateful in the long run.
Did you know sun tanning can be damaging to your skin? Keeping your skin out of the sun and being wise with your quest to have darker skin is important. Again, we will say you have one skin for the rest of your life — look after it well.
We believe in handling your body and skin with kindness, gentleness, and patience. You are more than your stress spots, and we hope you believe that. Life can be hard enough, and placing pressure on your appearance leads to more problems than it solves.
Now, drink some water, choose a positive attitude, and put on sunblock!
Resources
Ethnic Skin Colour
https://www.verywellhealth.com/acne-treatments-in-skin-of-color-15695
Understanding Melanin
Benefits of Collagen
