Hyperpigmentation is a common condition that is usually harmless but can be displeasing in appearance. Hyperpigmentation is characterized by patches or dots of skin that are darker than the surrounding skin. Further, hyperpigmentation occurs due to excessive melanin (the pigment that gives skin its normal color) forms a deposit in the skin. Besides, the darker patches usually appears in several areas which makes the skin tone look uneven and unappealing to some.
There are several types of hyperpigmentation on facial skin such as liver spots, the most common condition found is characterized by small and dark brown spots due to exposure to sunlight. Apart from that, there is also melasma, generally marked by larger areas of dark skin and usually occurs as a result of hormonal changes, such as in women who are pregnant or who are taking birth control pills. However, melasma can be worsened by overexposure to sun rays.
Although many think uneven skin tone is a minor problem, hyperpigmentation can be stubborn and difficult to handle. Besides, there are still many people who are not aware that some trivial things can worsen hyperpigmentation conditions, they are:
Neglect to Reapply Sunscreen
Well known as a harmful thing to the skin, many studies stated that sun rays can increase melanin production, so, the more you are exposed to the sun exposure, the greater the risk of increased skin pigmentation. Well, applying sunscreen is one of the easiest ways you can do as an effort to block sun exposure. Not just once, dermatologists recommend reapplying sunscreen after 3 hours of use or the first application, especially when doing outdoor activities. The reason why you should reapply sunscreen is because the working period of the sunscreen will end after 3 hours, exposed to water, including sweating. Thus, you better reapply your sunscreen religiously to prevent the development of hyperpigmentation or to worsen it.
Sleep with Makeup On
Whether thick makeup or light makeup, facial makeup that sticks to facial skin must be cleaned properly and correctly. From the eyes to the lips, we should make sure to clean all makeup products on our faces before going to sleep. Don't just use water, cleaning your face using cosmetics needs to do double cleansing to ensure that there is no cosmetic residue left. How to?
First, remove makeup using a milk or oil cleanser to shed makeup on the face. The second step, wash your face with face soap and water to clean all the dirt and residue from the make up. Right after, you can use a toner using a cotton pad to ensure that your skin is completely clean without dirt and ready to absorb the night skincare routine.
Now, you may wonder "what's the relation between makeup and hyperpigmentation?". In fact, makeup doesn't cause hyperpigmentation directly, however, the habit of not removing makeup before going to sleep tends to make you pass the night skincare routine which can hinder the process of fading hyperpigmentation, especially for you who are trying to get rid of it. Besides, when you do not clean your makeup properly, your night cream or series of skincare will not be absorbed and work precisely if the skin is blocked by dirt left over from cosmetics, making the healing process of the skin delayed.
