Dark spots, or hyperpigmentation, can appear on many different areas of the body but very commonly occur on the face since facial skin is most often exposed to the sun. Although not necessarily a cause for concern, excessive hyperpigmentation can impact your outward appearance and potentially affect your confidence and self-esteem. While there are many facial treatments available out there, getting a HydraFacial is your best bet in effectively reducing the appearance of dark spots in a gentle, non-invasive manner. At Canova Medical in Wilmslow, Cheshire, we offer HydraFacial treatments to our patients to help rejuvenate and restore a youthful appearance to the skin in just as little as one hour.
What are the causes of hyperpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation essentially refers to patches of skin which are a lot darker in appearance compared to the surrounding areas, giving rise to uneven skin texture and tone. While excessive exposure to the sun is widely known to cause these dark spots, other causes include:
- Ageing: As you age, your skin experiences a decrease in the production of elastin and collagen, which are key proteins for healthy, smooth, and youthful-looking skin. As protein synthesis is reduced, your skin thins out and becomes dry over time, increasing the likelihood of discolouration.
- Genetics: If you have a family history of hyperpigmentation disorders, this may increase your chances of acquiring the condition down the road.
- Hormonal changes: A sudden hormonal imbalance can also cause one to start noticing dark patches of skin on the body. For women, in particular, rising levels of estrogen and progesterone can trigger excessive melanin production, resulting in hyperpigmentation.
- Lighter skin tones: Individuals with fair complexions have significantly less UV-protective melanin in comparison to those who have darker complexions. As such, prolonged sun exposure makes lighter-skinned individuals more susceptible to hyperpigmentation.
- Inflammation or trauma: Skin damage or injury as a result of inflammation or trauma can also cause your skin cells to start producing more melanin, causing dark patches of skin to appear.
- Medication: Certain topical or oral medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and tetracyclines can cause dark spots to occur upon reaction with melanin.
Although there are certain risk factors of hyperpigmentation that we have no control over, such as ageing and genetics, a revolutionary facial technology known as the HydraFacial can help significantly reduce the appearance of dark spots. At our clinic, a consultation with one of our highly-skilled medical experts will ensure you get the treatment you need to battle hyperpigmentation and achieve the glowing, flawless skin you desire.
How do HydraFacials treat hyperpigmentation? Is it safe?
HydraFacials make use of various vitamins, serums, and other solutions to cleanse, exfoliate, hydrate, and rejuvenate your skin. The first step in treating hyperpigmentation typically involves applying serums to your face to thoroughly cleanse it before exfoliating and extracting. During exfoliation and extraction, dead skin layers are sloughed off to reveal the glowing skin beneath and debris is gently extracted from your pores. This is followed by the application of vitamins and specially-formulated serums to your face to help hydrate your skin and effectively reduce the appearance of dark spots. Depending on the extent of the hyperpigmentation, you may have to schedule additional treatments spaced four to six weeks apart for noticeable results.
In terms of safety, the HydraFacial is highly recommended for treating a variety of skin conditions due to its gentle and non-invasive nature when compared to other facial treatments. What’s more, HydraFacials can be safely used on any skin type, regardless of age or whatever skin concerns you may be having. As such, you are less likely to experience any side effects, and downtime for recovery is not required.
Why should I choose HydraFacials over other treatments?
With the number of facial treatments available to choose from, you may still be wondering what makes HydraFacials stand out from the rest. Apart from being an exceptionally gentle treatment that is virtually painless, HydraFacials:
- Perform deep pore cleansing and extraction: HydraFacials make use of a wand-like suctioning device blended with Vortex-Fusion technology to completely clean and extract the debris from within your pores. When the device tip touches your skin, a powerful vacuuming mechanism is set into motion which gently and quickly extracts pore debris such as blackheads and whiteheads. Your pores will now be able to breathe better and effectively absorb hydrating serums as part of the HydraFacial process.
- Nourish your pores with deep serum infusion: To finish off your HydraFacial treatment, serums will be infused deep into your pores in order to hydrate your skin, effectively targeting skin concerns such as hyperpigmentation and wrinkles. This adds an additional layer of glow to your already radiant complexion.
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These characteristics of HydraFacials enable results to be seen immediately right after the first treatment session, which is something you do not often notice with other facial procedures as it may take days or even weeks to see improvements in your skin. It is important to remember, however, that you need to schedule frequent sessions in order to maintain your results. The more you consistently attend these sessions, the longer your skin will retain its glow.
What else can HydraFacials be used to treat?
The exfoliation that occurs during the HydraFacial treatment stimulates your body’s natural healing response, which encourages more collagen to be produced. This protein performs the all-important job of ensuring your skin maintains a healthy, radiant look. As such, HydraFacials can be used to treat a wide range of skin conditions to improve skin tone, texture, elasticity, oiliness, dryness, and damage.
Other alternatives to HydraFacials
If you are still on the fence and are not too sure about what procedure you should go for, a one-on-one consultation with one of our experienced specialists can help you choose the treatment that is just right for you. During your consultation and depending on your particular situation, you may be recommended to try other alternatives.
Microneedling
Known to be one of the most popular treatments out there for skin resurfacing, microneedling makes use of thin, sterile needles to create small wounds in your skin. These tiny injuries stimulate your body’s natural healing response to produce more collagen for cell regeneration in order to encourage faster wound healing. This works since these newly-produced skin cells restore a youthful appearance to the skin, making it look much healthier and smoother.
Apart from hyperpigmentation, microneedling can also be used to treat fine lines and wrinkles, stretch marks, and scars left behind by acne.
Chemical Peels
Stand-alone chemical peels are another option that can be used to effectively treat hyperpigmentation. They range in strength from mild to strong however, your doctor or aesthetician will help you decide the appropriate level for your particular situation.
The process involves applying a peel to your face followed by a lifting process during which the dead skin cell layers are peeled away, stimulating the body’s healing response and encouraging the production of collagen. It may take about a week to see results but you should be able to notice a much more radiant complexion gradually over time as a result of cell regeneration.
Apart from hyperpigmentation, chemical peels can also be used to treat fine lines and wrinkles, skin damage from excessive sun exposure, and scars left behind by acne.
PRP
Short for Platelet-Rich Plasma, PRP stands by its name by making use of plasma directly from your blood in order to stimulate collagen production. This is done by placing a sample of your blood in a centrifuge to extract the protein-rich plasma, after which it is further concentrated to produce PRP — this contains the growth factors your body needs for collagen production.
There are two different approaches to using PRP as a facial treatment. The first one involves applying the plasma onto your face, after which microneedling is carried out to ensure the proteins from the PRP are absorbed into your skin via small holes made by the needles. This is highly effective as the proteins are soaked up deep within your skin layer, stimulating the production of collagen and tissue regeneration. The alternative option involves direct injection of the PRP into your skin to address the condition not just within the dermal layers but externally as well.
Apart from hyperpigmentation, PRP can also be used to treat fine lines and wrinkles, stretch marks, and skin damage from excessive sun exposure.
Get the healthy, glowing skin you have always dreamed of — call us today!
Although hyperpigmentation is a fact of life and is oftentimes inevitable with age, this should not deter you from getting it treated. After all, your appearance determines how others perceive you, so it is important to hold your head up high with confidence and self-esteem.
Don’t let hyperpigmentation dull your shine. Call Canova Medical at 01625 529942 or book your consultation online today. We are conveniently located at 36A Alderley Road, Wilmslow SK9 1JX, and we look forward to helping you finally achieve the flawless, radiant skin you so desire.