PIGMENTATION 

If you pay attention to your skin, it's likely you'll have noticed small areas of discolouration and darkening. Yes, freckles are cute, but we're not talking freckles, these are larger, uneven dark patches that seem to persist on your face, neck, shoulders and hands.

CAUSES OF PIGMENTATION

Hyperpigmentation is usually a harmless discolouration of the skin. The spots can exist since birth or may develop in the course of life - in which case they are referred to as acquired hyperpigmentation. The cause is a local overproduction of pigment, melanin, or a local increase in pigment-forming cells, melanocytes.

Triggering factors :

• UV radiation - sun damage
• Hormonal influences  - melasma
• Genetic predisposition
• Ageing processes - age spots
• Injuries and inflammations of the skin

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK

A skin care professional can classify the existing pigmentation using a magnifying lamp or the "pinch test".

By assessing your skin and recognising the type of pigmentation you have the skin care professional can prescribe a treatment plan and products to suit your condition and skin type.

Deep-lying dermal pigment is always more difficult to treat. In addition, an experienced skin care professional should be familiar with brightening or pigment-mitigating ingredients and their advantages and disadvantages.

" THE PINCH TEST "

If the pigment can still be seen when the skin is pinched, it is superficial, i.e.epidermal.

If the pigment disappears when the skin is pinched, it is more likely to be deeper i.e. dermal.

UNDERSTANDING INGREDIENTS

With some ingredients for skin brightening, the aggressiveness towards the skin can increase with the effectiveness - the results are irritations of the skin eg kojic acid. It is controversial because it can cause inflammation when it is applied on the skin.

Although many brightening ingredients effectively inhibit tyrosinase, they can also have a cell-damaging effect at the same time.

Some brightening ingredients have therefore already been banned for the use in cosmetics, such as hydroquinone

SAFE & EFFECTIVE INGREDIENTS

VITAMIN C (Ascorbic acid) - inhibits tyrosinase, brightens skin & stimulates collagen synthesis.
 
VITAMIN B3 (Niacinamide) reduces uneven pigmentation, brightens the skin, prevents melanin from penetrating into the upper layers of the skin.

HEXYLRESORCINOL comparable to that of hydroquinone, but without the accompanying side effects. Skin-brightening effect by reducing the melanin content.
 
ARBUTIN is a very effective ingredient in brightening products that is approved for cosmetics and safe in small doses.

DR SCHRAMMEK MELA WHITE PRODUCT RANGE

MELA WHITE products gently brighten dark areas and even out differences in tone. MELA WHITE combines its brightening effect with non-aggressive ingredients that have highly effective moisturizing and regenerating properties.

* We recommend using the products for 12 weeks and combine with visiting a clinic or salon who are trained in GREEN PEEL herbal peeling for a course of MELA WHITE treatments.