When you are battling pigmentation, you need to treat it in multiple ways. Ideally, every step of your skincare routine has some brightening ingredients.
Treating spots and other forms of hyperpigmentation, such as acne scars and melasma, is extremely difficult, largely because the process that produces the pigment is long and complex. Brightening ingredients work by blocking different steps of this long process. The more steps that are blocked, the more likely you stop pigment from forming in the first place.
So if you can afford it, try to incorporate several brightening products into your routine. You’ll have more success than relying on a single product.
Here are different ways I treat my spots:
1. Brightening toner
2. Exfoliants – exfoliating with AHA’s or retinol increases cell turnover, so pigment is ‘washed’ out of skin faster. Note: you need AHAs or retinol; enzyme or particle based exfoliants are not as effective. Also, exfoliate at night and save your retinoid treatments for night. Both types of ingredients make skin more sensitive.
3. Brightening sheet mask or rinse-off mask 1-3x per week
4. Brightening serums – 4-serum rotation daily; 2-3 at a time. Note: my skin can handle multiple treatments and I select each one carefully based on the combination of ingredients that I want. Not suitable for everyone.
5. Whitening creams – Asian whitening creams have a nice mix of brightening ingredients
6. Sunscreen (even better if it has brightening ingredients) – Sunscreen is absolutely crucial. There’s no point bothering with treatments if you don’t protect your skin from the sun. UV light stimulates melanin production.
You can learn more about pigmentation and treating spots in the Pigmentation Guide:
