Treating hyperpigmentation in dark skin

Hyperpigmentation problems can pose a particular problem for darker skin types. It’s an issue affecting a huge number of people and one we have written about on the blog before. To help you understand the type of treatment or products that are likely to be right for darker skin, today’s post will outline the intricacies of hyperpigmentation problems experienced by those with black and Asian skin types and offer solutions for treating them.

Hyperpigmentation Causes

Black and Asian skin is often considered to be more resistant to the effects of the sun’s rays and thanks to the larger volume of melanin present this can be true when it comes to the development of lines and wrinkles. (With laser hair removal and darker skin tones lasers have become more advanced and sophisticated and are able to remove hair on darker skin types with the introduction of the Nd:YAG 1064nm wavelength. The same advances have also happened in treating skin conditions.)

Sun exposure is one of the most prominent causes of hyperpigmentation in all skin types. On darker skins just like lighter skin tones, this can lead to dark spots, patches and freckles developing that leave sufferers with an uneven skin tone.

laser pigmentation removal for dark skinPost-Inflammatory hyperpigmentation

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation following on from acne, scratches, cuts and bruises is a cause of uneven skin tone that darker skins can be particularly prone to because of the higher number of cells that reside on the surface of darker skins.

Hormonal changes and hyperpigmentation

In women of all skin tones, hormonal changes can also play a part in hyperpigmentation development. Altered oestrogen levels during pregnancy or due to oral contraceptives can trigger excessive melanin production that leads to melasma that doesn’t always dissipate after the birth.

what is melasma

Melasma is a fairly common skin problem which causes dark and discoloured patches on skin. It is also called chloasma and the “mask of pregnancy,” as it happens when women. Women make up 90% of those affected by melasma according to the American Academy of Dermatology

Symptoms of Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation caused by sun exposure becomes more evident as skin matures. It can be noticeable as dark patches around the eye and dark spots or freckles on the face.

In contrast, post acne hyperpigmentation appears on areas of the skin affected by acne, which means like post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation caused by burns, scratches and other blemishes.

It can be visible all over the body. Often referred to as the mask of pregnancy, hormonal triggered melasma or chloasma frequently establishes itself on the cheeks, forehead and upper lip.

skincare for hyperpigmentation on darker skinTreatments

Though spots of hyperpigmentation caused by hormonal changes can often fade naturally over time, pigmentation patches caused by other factors frequently leave sufferers with lingering patches and freckles that are difficult to cover.

Here at Premier Laser & Skin we offer laser treatment to remove freckles and even skin tone using highly targeted lasers but this isn’t always the best type of procedure to choose depending on your skin type.

We offer several non-invasive treatment alternatives that are highly effective as hyperpigmentation treatments for black skin.

  • Our  Herbal Green Peel uses only natural ingredients from plants and vitamins to remove the surface layer of the skin without abrasive exfoliation. This increases blood circulation to stimulate cell and collagen renewal, which in turn helps to renew the surface of the skin to remove pigmentation patches.
  • Also suitable for post inflammatory hyperpigmentation treatment and uneven skin tone correction is our Dermapen Micro Skin Needling. This treatment also stimulates skin resurfacing through increased collagen production to repair scars and reduce discolouration. It’s a fast healing treatment that uses tiny needles to penetrate the skin and create thousands of micro injuries, triggering the resurfacing process.

Products

One of the best ways to protect your complexion against hyperpigmentation, whatever your skin tone or colour, is by incorporating SPF products into your skincare routine to prevent skin damage.

To help maintain the results of hyperpigmentation correction procedures and discourage problems from reoccurring, you can also select specialist products to help even your skin tone.

Our trained skin consultants can help match you with suitable products including those from the Iluma Skincare by Image range, which contains powerful active natural plant extracts to lighten pigmentation and reduce melanin production at cellular level.

 If hyperpigmentation is a problem for you, why not call and book a free consultation with one of our expert advisors.

hyperpigmentation consultation

Peels For Younger-Looking Healthier Skin

Do you want your skin to look younger and fresh without surgery? Or maybe you’re sick of the countless failed attempts of forcing down a green kale smoothie each morning. With Premier Laser and Skin’s natural infused peels there is no need to go under the knife for flawless younger looking skin.

Check out our most refreshing peels below to see how they can transform your skin.

Anti- Ageing Peel

Despite how well we try to take care of ourselves, ageing is inevitable. Luckily, with the Anti-Ageing Peel you don’t have to resign your face to a map of fine lines and wrinkles. With its glycolic and retinol ingredients, the peel is designed to boost your collagen production and cell renewal to achieve firmer and younger looking skin. The peel combats fine lines and wrinkles while lightening sun spots and hydrating the skin. The treatment takes less than an hour and has immediate results that can be seen from just one session. There is no downtime, so you can continue your day as you normally would.

Vitamin C Peel

You don’t have to always remember to take your Multi Vitamin supplements when you’ve had the Vitamin C Peel. It has been proven that applying Vitamin C to the skin is twenty times more effective then consuming orally. The gentle peel is suitable for all skin types including for sensitive and rosacea prone skin. The peel gently removes dead skin cells from the outer layers of your skin and then penetrates to the deeper skin layers and encourages your skin to renew itself. Anti-oxidants including Vitamins A, C and E are all infused in the peel to guarantee a brightened complexion. Again, this is a quick skin treatment and only takes 45 minutes.

Herbal Green Peel

Many of us enjoy a brew of herbal green tea after a stressful day at work. But did you know you could get the same amount of anti-oxidants from the Herbal Green Peel. Enriched with pure natural ingredients from plant vitamins and minerals, the peel calmly removes the surface layers of the skin and increases blood circulation for cell and collagen renewal. It has a 5 day multi-step process where the patient has the in-clinic treatment followed by prescribed home care treatment and a follow up clinic treatment. Ideal for anyone suffering from acne, blackheads and skin pigmentation issues. The treatment renews and resurfaces the skin while eliminating flaws and promoting cell tissue renewal.

For more information on the Anti-Ageing, Vitamin C and Herbal Green Peels and to book a consultation click HERE or call 0203 811 7154.

The Anti-Ageing and Vitamin C Peels start from as little as £90 and the classic Herbal Green Peel starts from £300.

Which Acne Scar Treatment Is Best For You?

Both the physical and emotional effects of acne can continue long after the actual acne has cleared up. They can leave permanent marks of the past behind which can be stressful and emotionally crippling for some.

What Causes Acne Scarring?

When your skin, or soft tissues are damaged, the body’s immune system will actively repair the site. Your immune system will send lots of white blood cells and various other fast acting molecules to try to combat any infection and heal any damage to the soft tissue. Once the infection is actively fought, or kept away and the injury is repaired, the skin may look different through the body’s repair system, resulting in a scar.

Continue reading “Which Acne Scar Treatment Is Best For You?”

Beat Acne With These Surprisingly Killer Tips

Acne is a very common skin condition amongst teenagers and young adults, which could even continue for many years. Skin glands naturally release sebum that offers protection to your face and body. However, too much of this being produced during puberty can block pores in the skin, creating irritation and the development of acne. During this time, a boost of testosterone will occur in men and women, increasing their growth and making them sweat more. This can then make the skin more likely to get blocked with excessive sebum, likely to create the acne we all hate so much.

Continue reading “Beat Acne With These Surprisingly Killer Tips”

Natural Tips To Turn The Clock Back On Wrinkles

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Whether you have decided to grow old gracefully or want to try all the remedies under the sun, wrinkles are an inevitable sign of aging, and one which can be slowed down by taking good care of your skin.  The earlier you start, ultimately, the better.

Hydrate

Whilst it is, of course, important to keep your skin clean, over-washing can actually strip your skin of its natural oils and moisture which help to protect against wrinkles.  You should try to wash your face with soft water (if you live in an area with hard water, boiling it can help) or a mild lotion which can be made from products such as cucumber.  Rub the lotion gently into your face and then rinse away with lukewarm water and dab your face dry with a soft towel.

Face Masks

You can apply home made treatments to your face using things such as carrot or tomato juice.  Carrots contain a high content of vitamins A and B as well as a number of beneficial minerals.  It can be a great natural cleanser for your face as can a freshly squeezed tomato juice.  Leave either juice on your face for around 20 minutes before washing off with lukewarm water.

Other products found within your home can also be used to make a mask, such as yolk, almond oil, milk and lemon juice.  Mixing all these ingredients together can create a mask which is ideal for skin with larger pores.  Again, leave the mask for 20 minutes then rinse off with tepid water.

Honey is also an ideal ingredient to include in a face mask.  Honey is suitable for all skin types and will increase softness and flexibility of the skin which can assist in reducing fine lines.  You could try mixing a little bit of lemon juice in with your honey mask for increased effectiveness.

Food

Eating a balanced diet can also assist with the reduction of wrinkles.  Think of it as a whole body approach, the healthier your body, the healthier your skin will be.  Fruit and vegetables are naturally great as their antioxidant compounds help to keep skin looking radiant and younger.  Soy is also thought to help the skin heal any damage which has been caused from ultra-violet rays, in other words, the sun.  Fish is also a good food to include in your diet due to the level of protein and the omega 3 it contains.  Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid which can help keep your skin looking younger.

Additional Solutions

If you find that you have tried the natural approach and it isn’t getting the results you want, why not consider a professional approach?  Whilst this may bring to mind face lifts and chemical peels there are actually a fair few treatments which are non-invasive such as the green peel.  A green peel is a herbal treatment which only contains pure natural plant ingredients.  It increases blood circulation and enhances the regeneration of new skin cells and collagen fibre which can assist with the reduction of imperfections on the skin such as wrinkles.

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Say Bye To Your Acne

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Whilst acne is something which most adolescents will have to deal with, if it continues to be a problem into adulthood it can not only be embarrassing, it can also start to affect your self-esteem.  Interestingly however, around 1in 5 adults between the ages of 25 and 40 suffer with some degree of acne so it is possibly more common than you might think.

Treating adult acne can be quite straightforward if you follow some basic rules:-

Don’t Touch Your Face

As tempting as it can be to pick or pop a pimple, this can lead to scarring and is unlikely to speed up the process of the pimple disappearing from your skin.  As a general rule, you should keep your hands away from your face as much as possible to stop the transfer of dirt and grime which can clog up your pores.

Wash Your Face after Washing Your Hair

If you are washing your hair in the shower, make sure you properly wash your face afterwards.  Shampoo contains residues and oils which can run down your face, get into your pores and cause a break out of acne.  By ensuring that you wash your face you can limit how much of residue gets left on your skin.

Use chemical-free products

Make sure you are only applying chemical-free, gentle products to your skin in the form of any cleansers you are using as well as make up removers.

Exercise

This may surprise some people but exercise can be an effective tool in the fight against acne.  By working up a sweat you can flush your pores and help stop them becoming clogged.  Just ensure that any clothing you wear is breathable and doesn’t irritate your skin further.

Face Masks

Using a face mask made with honey once a week is a great way of helping your skin to heal itself.  Honey is antibacterial making it perfect for disinfecting the skin and it is also suitable for those with sensitive skin too.  You can buy a honey face mask or make one yourself using ingredients from your kitchen.

Food Moderation

Whilst you shouldn’t believe the rumours that certain food groups can cause acne, you should eat less healthy foods in moderation.  A healthy body can help you to get healthier skin so although fatty foods and chocolate may not have a direct link to the cause of acne, limiting the amount you eat can certainly help from a bigger picture perspective.

Professional Help

If you find that your acne is still causing you difficulties, even when you take the above rules into consideration, it might be worth investigating professional help.  The latest treatment to become available for the management of acne is a green peel. Green peels are herbal face peels essentially and work by removing the outer layer of skin to encourage new skin growth and the degree of ‘peel’ can be altered depending on the individual.

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Problem Skin Spoiling your Selfie?

 

What Is A Selfie?

Social media has taken the world by storm, and the latest craze to sweep our technology savvy generation is Instagram. This fabulous free photographic app allows users to capture their everyday lives in film and share it with their community and the most common photographs taken by Instagram addicts is the ‘Selfie’, a self portrait showing your new hairstyle, to record a special trip or momentous occasion or simply just for fun. Instagram allows you to apply face friendly filters that can tone down any skin imperfections, but there are some conditions that no filter can rectify and sufferers may then be reluctant to publish their poses.

Natural Remedies

Acne, rosacea and other skin conditions can massively affect an individual’s confidence both at work and at home. The source of problematic skin frequently starts with diet, so the first step is to make sure that your skin is properly hydrated. Our skin cells consist of 70% water, and if not adequately hydrated they shrink and are unable to function properly to remove toxins and repair any damage sustained. Aim to drink at least 2 litres of water a day to keep your skin plump and glowing.

 

There are several foods that are bad for your skin, and the most common culprit is caffeine. This natural diuretic is found in tea, coffee, chocolate and cola and can dehydrate your skin causing it to become dull and prone to breakouts. Cut down caffeinated beverages as much as possible and try to eat plenty of vitamin rich fruit and vegetables as beta carotene in yellow or orange produce such as carrots and peppers is particularly good for your skin. A three step skin care routine with natural organic products free from parabens, and other nasties is essential to cleanse the skin to remove impurities and replace any lost moisture.

Professional Treatments

If natural remedies don’t improve your skin to your satisfaction, then it is time to try a professional therapy to relieve inflammation and restore your skin’s natural radiance. Some of the most popular treatments at Premier Laser Clinic include the Image Acne lift which is an acne treatment that instantly resurfaces and smooths your skin and the Green Peel that uses natural herbs to cause the top layers of skin to peel off which then stimulates collagen production to give a smoother surface. The Silkpeel is perfect for problem skin as it targets deep in to the dermal layers of your skin with a natural antiseptic salicylic acid based treatment that cleanses your pores inside and out. If you want your skin to appear tighter and brighter then look no further than the Obaji Blue Radiance peel which effectively exfoliates the uppermost skin layers removing any damaged cells and leaving you with a renewed radiant complexion.

How To Take The Perfect Selfie