Have you ever wondered why some parts of your skin are darker than the rest? Has it ever crossed your mind why you have blotches in your skin? Well, that is what doctors and other healthcare professionals call hyperpigmentation.
Hyperpigmentation comes from two combined words. “Hyper,” meaning more pronounced or enhanced, and “pigmentation,” which means skin coloration or coloration in general. Combining the two, we form the meaning, more pronounced skin coloration.
Hyperpigmentation treatment can come in a lot of forms, such as topical creams and cosmetic procedures. Each has its unique benefits! With such, we can eliminate or, at the very least, reduce your hyperpigmentation issues.
Pigmentation is the natural coloration of our skin. We all inherently have a skin pigment, which is melanin. The presence of melanin in our skin is the reason why your skin gets darker, or you have dark spots on your skin.
Pigmentation treatments can include chemicals such as tretinoin, hydroquinone, and so much more. It can also be in the form of cosmetic procedures like intense pulsed light.
Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that affects many individuals worldwide. Concerning the cause of rosacea, up to this day, it is still unknown. Though being incurable, treatment options are always available on the table. Thus, minimizing the symptoms associated with rosacea.
Rosacea treatment in Korea does not involve magical but rather standard skincare products that will be used daily. These include cleansers, mists, masks, toners, and exfoliators. These products help reduce the symptoms associated with rosacea.
Even until now, Korea has been a global pioneer when it comes to treating your skin concerns. It is because we have the best doctors, and we offer countless clinics at very affordable prices. Finding the best deal could never be more straightforward!
Keep on reading to find out more about hyperpigmentation, its treatment, and what treatment options are available on the Korean market!
What is skin pigmentation?
Skin pigmentation simply refers to your skin coloring. Without it, you would have a condition known as albinism or the lack of any skin pigmentation. Albinos need special care since they are sensitive to ultraviolet light and could quickly get sunburnt.
Digressing from that topic, your skin gets its color from the pigment called melanin. Your body produces melanin through specialized cells called melanocytes. When these cells (melanocytes) arrive damaged or unhealthy, melanin production is affected. For example, if you are exposed to too much sunlight and don’t have enough melanin, your melanocytes produce more melanin, thus giving you a darker complexion.
Some pigmentation disorders or issues affect only localized areas or patches of your skin. On the other hand, some affect your entire body.
When your melanocytes produce too much melanin, you will eventually have a darker skin tone. Factors such as pregnancy, Addison’s disease, and the amount that you spend in the sun can all make your skin darker by stimulating the production of melanin. On the other hand, if your body produces too little melanin, you will have a fairer and lighter skin tone.
Examples of conditions that involve skin pigmentation are vitiligo and albinism. Vitiligo is a condition that causes patches of light skin. Albinism, on the other hand, is a condition in which no melanin or skin pigmentation is present. Blisters, burns, and infections can also affect your skin tone, most of the time, causing lighter skin.
What causes pigmentation?
Melanin is the main culprit behind pigmentation in human beings. But, before anything else, let’s dive deep into the science of melanin, its production, and its biological pathways.
What is melanin?
Melanin is a significant pigment present in the skin of human beings. The kind of melanin produced and the rate of its production both determines skin and hair color. Melanin is a light-absorbing polymer that has been derived from the essential amino acid, tyrosine. It scatters ultraviolet light and converts it to thermal energy or heat.
The ability of melanin to absorb light provides protective functions in human beings as well as other vertebrates. These include features such as camouflage, solar UVA and UVB irradiation protection, and thermoregulation.
Groups of species and individuals who produce higher quantities of melanin in their epidermis have lower incidences of skin cancer. It is due to the protective properties of melanin against harmful light.
Melanin despite being known for its photoprotective qualities, it also acts as an antibiotic and a free radical sink. Because of melanin’s wide range of functions, melanin is expressed in many areas in the human body. These include the skin, hair, eyes, and even the brain! However, it is essential to note that the specific roles of melanin within these tissues remain poorly understood.
The three significant types of melanin are:
- Pheomelanin. It is an orange to red pigment that is expressed usually in the hair and skin. It has minimal protective properties against DNA damage brought about by UV radiation.
- Eumelanin. It is a brown to black pigment that is expressed usually in the hair and skin. It has optimal protective properties against DNA damage brought about by UV radiation.
- Neuromelanin. This type of melanin is expressed in several areas in the brain. Its loss is linked with several neurological disorders.
Melanocytes and Melanogenesis
Melanin is produced in the cytoplasmic organelles (little organs within the cell) called melanosomes. The melanosomes reside in specialized cells called melanocytes, which are present in skin cells and hair follicles. The process of melanin production is called melanogenesis.
A G-protein Coupled Receptor (GPCR) called melanocortin-receptor 1 (MC1R), a highly polymorphic gene, is encoded in melanocytes. In humans, there is a wide variety of MC1R variants, with each having different activity levels. Together with melanin production, the activity level of MC1R within melanocytes determines the color of your skin.
Melanocytes are typically confined to the basal layer of your epidermis, wherein they form the “epidermal melanin unit.” It consists of one melanocyte, around 36 keratinocytes, and one Langerhans cell.
Ultraviolet radiation as a regulator of melanogenesis
A major external factor that regulates melanogenesis is ultraviolet radiation, including UVA and UVB light. It is the main stimulating factor for melanin production, contributing to induced skin pigmentation or “tanning.” Other factors that stimulate melanin production include androgens, a natural steroid hormone, and other inflammatory mediators.
Ultraviolet radiation increases the number and quantity of melanocytes to the epidermis. It is coupled with an increase in the production of melanosomes in the melanocytes. The reaction occurs due to an increased level of reactive oxygen species, which can lead to DNA damage and stimulation and activation enzymes that also influence melanogenesis, such as tyrosinase.
Long periods of exposure to UVB light can cause significant DNA damage causing programmed cell death of the affected skin cells. The phenomenon is commonly known as “sunburn.”
What is hyperpigmentation?
The harmless yet common condition in which patches of skin become darker in color than the healthy surrounding skin is called hyperpigmentation. The darkening phenomenon occurs when an excess of melanin forms deposits in the skin. Hyperpigmentation can affect any type of skin color of any race.
Age spots or “liver spots” are a common form of hyperpigmentation. They are also referred to as “sunspots.” Age spots occur because of sun damage and are colloquially called by doctors as “sunspots” or solar lentigines. They could happen in the hands or the face or other areas, usually exposed to the sun’s rays.
What causes hyperpigmentation?
Excessive melanin production is the most common cause of hyperpigmentation. Melanin is a pigment that gives us human beings the color of our skin and hair. It is produced by specialized cells called melanocytes. A lot of factors and conditions can affect melanin production in your body.
Some medications can cause hyperpigmentation. For example, chemotherapy drugs could induce hyperpigmentation as being a side effect.
Pregnancy can also affect the way your body produces melanin by altering the hormone levels in your body like androgens.
Some endocrine diseases such as Addison’s disease can also produce hyperpigmentation that’s most noticeable in areas where there is more sun exposure such as the hands, face, and neck and areas where friction is usually present as the elbows and knees.
Too much exposure to the sun could also cause an increase in melanin levels.
How do you treat skin pigmentation?
A dermatologist usually determines the cause of your hyperpigmentation. A physical exam, together with your medical history, will help your dermatologist identify the cause of your hyperpigmentation. In some cases, to narrow down the cause of your hyperpigmentation, a skin biopsy is performed.
Usually, topical prescription medications can treat some cases of hyperpigmentation. These medications typically contain the active ingredient hydroquinone, which can lighten the skin.
However, it is not advisable to use topical hydroquinone for long periods, especially with no breaks in between. It could have an adverse and opposite effect of darkening the skin known as ochronosis.
It is best to use topical hydroquinone only under the care of a dermatologist to properly guide you on how to use the medication properly without causing any adverse effects on your skin.
Sometimes, topical retinoids are also prescribed to assist the lightening of dark spots in your skin. Both of these medications can take a few months to lighten the darkened areas.
Home care remedies are sometimes useful. These include over-the-counter medications that also lighten dark spots. It is important to note that despite these products containing hydroquinone, they don’t pack as much as a punch compared to prescription-strength products.
An essential component of home care includes using sunscreen. Sunscreen usage is vital in treating and improving most causes of hyperpigmentation.
Your dermatologist may also recommend that you get laser treatment, intense pulsed light, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion, depending on the cause of your hyperpigmentation and to reduce your hyperpigmentation.
How much is pigmentation treatment in Korea?
Pigmentation treatment in Korea usually varies from clinic to clinic. It depends on what type of treatment your dermatologist will decide you take. But, don’t worry as the treatment price is considerably lower compared to procedures done in the United States.
FAQs
Always remember that sunscreen is an essential part of your treatment process. Months-worth of treatment could be undone just by not applying sunscreen for a day. Sunscreen is your protection against the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun, so use it wisely and appropriately.
You might feel a little irritation during the treatment process. All of that is normal. As the topical, chemical peel or laser treatment does its job, remember to always moisturize and apply sunscreen, especially during the day.
Without a proper skincare regimen, you'll likely experience more irritation and encounter more problems in the future.
Yes, it can. With the proper treatment of a dermatologist, hyperpigmentation issues could be easily reversed and treated.
Dermatologists are specially trained to handle these types of cases. Other doctors, though having basic knowledge about dermatological issues, also seek the expertise of a dermatologist. You will most probably be referred to a dermatologist by your general practitioner.
Conclusion
Hyperpigmentation issues can easily be treated under the supervision of a dermatologist. Together by following your doctor’s orders and complying religiously to a skincare routine, you’ll inevitably end up with fairer and blemish-free skin!
Visit Clinic Search Korea now and experience the care that we give to our patients!