Fighting Hyperpigmentation: My Skin Care Routine
One challenge that I have been facing for awhile is hyperpigmentation! It affects my skin, most noticeably on my face, after any breakout but also can be bothersome with things like small scrapes, bruises or mosquito bites. I am pretty obsessive about preventing and reducing blemishes, because they can lasts months to a year (or more) before naturally fading. African Americans with darker skin tones are at greater risk of this type of superficial scaring and discoloration of the skin.
I’ve done lots of research on this condition and it can be a little complex as to why it occurs. But here’s a quick breakdown:
Whenever our skin experiences trauma, it really tries its best to heal itself. Which is a wonderful thing about the human body.
Now, one component of this healing reaction is to signal our skin cells to send melanocytes to the area of trauma. Darker skinned individuals have those in good supply (amen) which is awesome, right? The problem is, sometimes our bodies freak out a little too much. So a small zit here, a teeny scratch there - it’s not a huge deal to our health and well being. But our melanin is not having it! No ma’am. So tons of melanocytes flood the area and as a result, they leave behind a darker, superficial scar on the skin. Essentially, the more inflammation and irritation your skin experiences, the worse the scaring is because your melanocytes are having a BITCH FIT.
So, now that we’ve got an idea of why hyperpigmentation occurs, we can think about how to prevent it. Please note - I am no dermatologist or physician. I’m just a girl with a science degree and little bit of intuition. Please consult your physician before beginning any new health regimen.
I struggled with this crap for so long and it took me making a huge mistake before I realized what my skin probably needed. I want to share this journey with you guys so that maybe, someone can find some helpful insight.
First, I am going to spell out some of the mistakes I made. Lastly, I will lay out the routine that seems to be working for me the most. It’s not rocket science, but it was an “aha” moment for me.
Before and After - The photo on the left was after I was getting a TON of cystic acne pimples on my chin and each one was swelling a bruising like crazy.
Progress! Now, let’s work on these sunspots and pesky little blackheads! (I’m adding sunscreen to my line up)
Lessons Learned - Hyperpigmentation
Girl, You Dry as Hell!
Let’s just start with moisture, right out the gate. All of my life I have had a misunderstanding of how to moisturize my skin. Technically, I have dry skin and experience eczema from time to time. But occasionally, I would find my face to be really oily. So, I would avoid investing in a serious moisturizer because I figured I was already too oily and that would make it worse. No sis. The truth was, my skin was likely over producing sebum (oil) because it lacked moisture. So it was majorly overcompensating. When it comes to acne, there is no way your skin can heal well if it is not properly moisturized. This goes for internal water consumption as well as using a good face cream. Back in the day, I would slap on whatever lotion I was using on my body, right on my face (tragic, I know). We’ve grown from those days though. Keeping your face hydrated also seems to reduce the severity and frequency of future breakouts.
Medicated Face Products May Not Be For You
Salicylic Acid. Benzoyl Peroxide. Retinol. I tried just about every over the counter acne product out there and I’ve got to say - they did nothing for me but dry out my skin and make matters worse. One particular instance that did MAJOR damage - plopping little bits of Persa-Gel (benzoyl peroxide) on a few breakouts. Oh, it cleared up the acne in a jiffy. But it left behind extremely inflamed skin and you guessed it, lots of hyperpigmentation. Worse than if I had just let my face do its own thing. This is actually when the lightbulb moment hit me that I need “anti-inflammatory” defenses, not things that would cause more irritation, despite killing bacteria on my face.
You don’t need a million steps
Sheet masques and 25 Step Korean Skin Care plans have some really great components. But, you have to read your body and learn which parts work for you and which don’t. I am all about a lux regimen and lathering on some awesome products for a spa day. What I found though, is that my skin is really finicky and it doesn’t like to be messed with too much. If I did a cleanse, exfoliate, tone, serum, masque and moisturize routine everyday - my face would get super red and irritated. The other issue - if you are using a shit ton of products, it’s really hard to isolate which ones could be causing an issue or which are working (scientific experimenting 101: you can only have one variable to run your tests well and get solid results). For me, I realized Toners with powerful astringents made my skin upset. I can tolerate gentle toners like rose water or an occasional witch hazel. But that’s about it.
As it turns out, I only need about four core products, and I alternate using them throughout the week.
My Anti-inflammatory Skincare Routine
Four Step Process
Cleanse
Guys, I think I have landed on the Holy Grail of gentle cleansers with Drunk Elephants Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser. Funny thing, I happened upon this guy just from getting some free samples at Sephora (clutch). A little goes a HUGE way and I swear, your skin shines after one wash. It does not irritate my skin and it also does a great job of removing makeup, if you need it. Super hydrating. I could go on. Long short: if you have sensitive skin, this is worth a try.
Exfoliate
I use the Peter Thomas Roth Peeling Gel Exfoliant about 1-2x per week. I chose this product because I knew I needed an exfoliator to help accelerate skin cell turnover and remove rough skin. In the past, I was choosing exfoliating products that were way too harsh. When you’re deciding on an exfoliant, keep in mind you’ve got a handful of strategies that basically come down to chemical exfoliants versus physical. In the end, a gentle physical exfoliant is best for me. I recommend avoiding the harsh “beads” and scrubs in some products because they can scratch your skin, and cause more irritation. Remember - our aim is calming.
Back to the Peeling Gel Exfoliant. It’s great because its gentle and the product rolls up to act as an exfoliant and buff your skin. NOTE: I’ve seen some review on YouTube claiming that this product makes your SKIN peel. Guys…this is not your skin peeling. Admittedly, the labeling and wording is a little misleading on the packaging. It’s not a chemical peel, or anything of the sort, but it does get you nice and smooth. I focus on using this more when I have active blemishes that I need to fade.
SERUM
I’m a first time serum user, and similar to my experience with the cleanser, I ended up trying the Dior Capture Youth products by circumstance (I’ll keep it real, had I not tried this for free at first, I would have never paid the price by myself…but now I’m a believer). So, I wasn’t really sure what purpose serums provide in a beauty regimen, and honestly I am still not super sold on their necessity. I’ll let you decide for yourself. But this one, in combination with the moisturizer (coming up next) is a game changer. On it’s own though, I’ve seen the most significant difference from my under eye area when using this baby. Again, a little goes a really long way and just a couple of drops gets you all hydrated and dewy. Dior’s Capture Youth line is pretty long, so I’ll be trying other serums besides the Plump Filler after this bottle empties.
MOISTURIZER (and SPF)
Alright guys. This is it. This step has been THE MOST CRITICAL in improving my skin and reducing the severity of my breakouts, and the level of scaring I experience. I’ve tested a few moisturizers over the past year with varying results:
Peter Thomas Roth’s Water Drench, Hyaluranic Acid Cloud Cream Hydrating Moisturizer. This cream is a beast. I used it for about six months and loved it. It’s light, fast absorbing and will have you hydrated for hours. I only stopped using it because, well I fell in love with something else….
Dior Capture Youth Age Delay Advanced Creme. Chile. I don’t mean to be dramatic…but I would die for this cream. Now, two things. One, in my opinion, it’s a bit overpriced. But, it is a luxury skin product. Two. It’s thick. Like, plus size, curvy girl THICK. It’s very much an overnight cream, but I do tend to use it morning and night. Also, it’s pretty fragrant and gives you this rich aunty vibe. Some people may not like that, but I do. LOL. Anyway, I am completely obsessed with this and have found that on those lazy days where I barely do anything but rinse my face at night - I can slap this on and still be good. Again. Think Calming. Anti Inflammatory. Moisture. This does all dat.
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypetide Moisturizer. This product is pretty popular, but it was a bit of a let down for me. I keep it on hand as a back up. It’s relatively lightweight and moisturizing, but I feel like there were a few times I used this and broke out the next day. The jury is still out.
Black Girl Sunscreen. My new baby! I have slacked on the SPF tip for years because every product I used either broke me out, or had me looking ashy! Luckily, Black Girl Sunscreen came to my rescue this year with a product that has no flash black, no weird greyish tint and is gentle as well. I will often use this as my moisturizer if I am heading out into the sun. Warning, it can feel a little heavy, so use sparingly or you’ll be getting your shine on.
Summary
To wrap things up - it has taken me about a year of consistent practice to really get to a point where my face is clearing up and I feel in control of my breakouts and hyperpigmentation. I still have moments - especially when I’m stressed or hormonal, and that’s okay. But the after affects of my breakouts are vastly improved.
Overall, what has helped me the most was prioritizing products and practices that have an anti inflammatory affect on my skin. From moisturizers to cleansers, I made sure ingredients were soothing. I realized that my skin does not respond well to acne medication, but that may not be the case for everyone. It’s all about trial and error. I also learned little tricks for zits like applying a bit of ice to reduce swelling, or when to use an astringent toner versus when to avoid.
I really hope that some of this insight is helpful to you! If you have any feedback or things to add, feel free to drop a note and let me know what’s working for you. Or, what is not.
Later peeps.