Ideal candidate for treatments to reduce pigmentation

To be an ideal candidate for these treatments, you will need to meet certain conditions. Firstly, you must be in good physical condition. Some of the procedures to treat pigmentation require you to be healthy, so you can recover well after the treatment. Ideal candidates should meet certain other criteria:

  • They must be able to stick to strict usage of sunscreen application
  • They must be non-smokers as they show better result
  • They must have less exposure to the sun
  • They must follow a good skin care routine
  • They must not have any kind of skin condition like an active viral skin infection

Different types of treatments

According to the National Health Service (UK), skin lightening methods are used to treat the dark patches on your skin. Various pigmentation treatment options can help with your condition.

Oral medications

  1. Antioxidant tablets – Some studies have shown that melasma or skin pigmentation can be caused by oxidation. This is why, in some cases, dermatologists prescribe antioxidant tablets to their patients to treat skin pigmentation. The ingredients of the medicine help with skin lightening and reduce the dark patches. Make sure to use the prescribed dosage only, as overuse does not guarantee a better result.
  2. Oral sunscreens – Direct exposure to the sun is one of the main reasons behind skin pigmentation, especially on the body parts that are not covered. This is why the use of sunscreen is the most effective method to fight it. In addition to your preferred topical sunscreen product, you can also use oral sunscreens. They are available as pills and provide extra protection. Other effective medicines are Oral Glutathione and Oral Vitamin C.

Topical products

  1. Lightening creams – You can use skin lightening creams, too, as a pigmentation treatment option. The most effective lightening creams contain hydroquinone, licorice extract, N-acetylglucosamine, and vitamin B-3. These can help improve your skin tone and make the dark spots lighter. The prescribed skin lightening creams can be quite effective if you use them at least twice daily. You can notice the result over time. However, these creams have to be used as advised by the dermatologist.
    Lightening creams contain Vitamin C, Mandelic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Kojic Acid , and Azelaic Acid. You must make sure that the creams have these important active ingredients. However, many plant-based derivatives are also available, which can be helpful.
  2. Retinoids – Derived from vitamin A, the small molecular structure of the Retinoids allow them to treat pigmentation by entering into your skin. This ability of Retinoids makes it one of the most effective elements on dark spots, which is why many skin lightening products use it as an ingredient.
  3. Topical sunscreens – Prolonged sun exposure leads to pigmentation on your skin. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests using topical sunscreen products to guard your skin from the dangers of sun exposure. However, that is not the only way the topical sunscreens can help you. These products also have active ingredients that safeguard your skin from the dangerous UV rays and can reduce already existing dark spots as well. Hence, sunscreen products are quite effective for saving yourself from pigmentation.
    The application of sunscreen is very important for anyone being treated for pigmentation, and it must be used regularly. The sunscreen must be applied 20 minutes before possible sun exposure and should be repeated every three to four hours. Physical sunscreen like an umbrella, scarf, hat, or jacket can also be helpful against direct sun exposure.
  4. Exfoliating polishes – Exfoliating polishes are used as a pigmentation treatment, as they have the ability to remove the dead skin cells from the upper layer of your skin. The creams have magnesium crystals, which effectively exfoliate the pigmentation on the affected areas of the skin and make them lighter and more evenly toned. The clogged pores of your skin are also cleaned by these polishes. The newer exfoliating polishes have glycolic acid, mandelic acid, lactic acid, and retinoic acid, which work well without over-drying the skin. You can use these scrubs thrice a week to achieve the desired result but you have to be gentle with them.