Summer’s Knocking on the Door – Time to get you Glow on
Along with our great outdoor lifestyle comes the ravages of the Australian sun and hyperpigmentation in all its forms. With summer knocking at our door, there is still time to reduce last year’s brown spots before adding to those we will acquire this year.

There are three main types of pigmentation.
Epidermal where the pigmentation is close to the surface of the skin and is light brown
Dermal, where the brown marks appear more solid, is usually deep brown and ashen grey
Mixture where both levels are usually dark brown

There are many causes of hyperpigmentation which may include: PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, Pregnancy (melasma), Birth Control Pills, Long Term Sun Exposure, Estrogen (HRT), Razor Bumps, Acne, Severe Sun Burn, Eczema, Chemical Irritations, Rashes, Abrasive Scrubs, Surgical Procedures, Perfume Sprayed on Sun Exposed Skin, Certain Prescription Medications, Picking, Insect Bites, Scratching, Chicken Pox and Trauma to the Skin. As you can see there are many varied reasons for hyperpigmentation, but they all lead to the same outcome where we have ageing brown marks on both our face and body.

Melanocytes are cells in our skin that produce melanin, or pigment and these are located deep within the skin. It would be perfect if the colour or pigment was produced evenly across our skin but given the stimulants mentioned above aggravating our melanin, this is not usually the case.
My philosophy for treating hyperpigmentation focuses on five main areas to help achieve a luminous, radiant glow for our skin. These are: *Surface Exfoliation, *Suppress Melanocyte Activity, *Treatment, *Cellular Repair and Protection, *Lighten and Brighten.

With the assistance of gauze, toning lotion and or surface exfoliation, skin cells are sloughed off, revealing a brighter complexion. Some of the key ingredients in these products are Retinaldehydes, Mandelic Acid, Flower Acids and AHA’s and BHA’s.

To reduce existing hyperpigmentation superior brightening agents in skincare products will include Daisy Flower Extract, Kojic Acid, L-Arbutin, Resveratrol and Niacinamide all of which assist in reducing melanocyte activity. This in turn will improve skin clarity and even out the skin tone.
Treatments to help reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation may include, progressive, mid-depth and deep peels, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), Fractional Laser, Skin Classic Dyathermy, Nano Fractional Laser and Tixel, or a combination of these procedures.

When our skin is under attack from any of the causes of hyperpigmentation, cellular breakdown occurs and cellular repair is much needed. This can be in the form of internal nutritional food and supplements (including the antioxidants Vitamins A, B and C) and external product application (which include ingredients such as reparative stem cells like Gardenia, Swiss Apple, Edelweiss, Vitamin C and B). By incorporating a natural physical sunscreen – zinc and titanium dioxide- to our everyday skincare regime, the skin has a natural shield of protection against future attacks. It is important to note regular 3-4 hourly application of sunscreen is required and even then we can still obtain a tan.

To assist with lightening and brightening our complexion the skin may benefit from the infusion of Vitamin C, Mandelic and Phytic Acids, and Plantain Leaf extract. In-Clinic skincare treatments are like the boot camp for the infusion process of these ingredients and it does not mean you have to suffer to be glowing. The treatments are performed regularly and provide radiant skin and you leaving more relaxed – a great prescription for healthy, radiant skin.
We live in “a sunburnt country” and this means we need to be vigilant all year round with our skin/sun protection. A healthy diet for internal support and sun protection (sunglasses, sunscreen, sun hat, long sleeves) and skincare supporting cellular repair and melanin suppression will all assist with the necessary external support. The result will allow us to Get Our Glow On.