Sun Spot Removal: How To Remove Dark Spots Quickly With Revepeel
WHAT CAUSES DARK SPOTS ON THE SKIN? Dark spots can be a very frustrating skin issue to treat. Dark spots are areas within the skin that have increased melanin production. Melanin is cellular structure responsible for skin color. If there is more melanin in an area of the skin then the darker the skin will appear. All skin types suffer from dark spots. Both men and women experience dark spots equally. Common reasons for dark spots include acne, sun damage, and hormone shifts. -Acne: Each acne spot triggers inflammation in skin. Inflammation causes the skin to feel tender, hot, and red but also increases pigment in the area causing noticeable increased areas of hyperpigmentation. -Sun Exposure: Repeat exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays triggers the skin to protect itself by producing more melanin resulting in dark spots and increasing the color of dark spots that already exist. As skin ages, it is less able to heal itself so the dark spots remain. -Hormones: There is a link between increased estrogen levels and irregular, dark pigmentation. Common shifts in estrogen are pregnancy and birth control use. WHAT IS THE BEST TREATMENT FOR BROWN SPOTS? There are so many products on the market from creams to serums that over promise results but under deliver. Commercially available products found at the mall or drugstore do not have the ability to go into the deep layers of the skin. A product must be able to go deep into the dermis layer of the skin to effectively target dark spots. Due to the issue of penetration, Chemical peels are one of the most effective products available to treat dark spots. Effective, deep penetrating chemical peels are only available through licensed medical providers because of their prescription grade strength. REVEPEEL CHEMICAL PEEL Revepeel is one of the most powerful chemical peels on the market and it can be found at SLK Clinic. The peel is performed in under an hour but has long lasting, powerful effects on dark spots. Revepeel lightens dark spots through multiple prescription grade ingredients that target melanin pigment including TCA, Salicylic acid, and lactic acid. Also, Revepeel has anti inflammatory ingredients such as croton oil to combat irritation. HOW DOES REVEPEEL WORK? Revepeel uses ingredients that significantly target pigment production and the amount of melanin in the skin. Revepeel is applied to the face in a process that takes approximately 45 minutes from start to finish. The peel stays on the skin for 2-4 hours after applied and is washed off after a designated time. The top layer of skin will peel for approximately 7 days revealing fresh glowing skin, reduced dark spots, decreased fine lines, and minimized pores. IS THERE DOWNTIME OR SIDE EFFECTS? The skin may feel itchy, dry, and irritated for the first 3 day after the peel but will eventually go away. You peel a lot on days 3-6 but by day 7 you are typically done peeling. We normally schedule peels on Wednesdays so the majority of the peeling occurs on Saturday and Sunday when patients are off of work.
Treating Hyperpigmentation With Revepeel Enlighten Mask
TREATING HYPERPIGMENTATION IN ALL SKIN TYPES WITH REVEPEEL ENLIGHTEN MASK Is Enlighten Mask the Right Peel for Me? The Revepeel Enlighten Mask is a specialty chemical peel formulated to target hyperpigmentation concerns including melasma, age spots, freckles, and general skin discoloration. Hyperpigmentation occurs whenever the skin is injured or experiences an event that causes inflammation. Pigment production is increased in the inflamed area as a way for skin to protect itself. Unfortunately, this protective mechanism causes hyperpigmented areas. Enlighten mask peel is safe for all skin types due to its specific formula that is gentle yet extremely effective. How Does Enlighten Mask Work? Enlighten Mask works in a two step process. The first step is preventing new melanin production in hyperpigmented areas. Melanin is the cellular structure responsible for skin color. If there is more melanin in an area of the skin, then the darker the skin will appear. Once new melanin production stops, the peel increases cell turnover causing the darkened skin to shed. When the darkened sheds, new more even toned skin is revealed. How Do The Ingredients Work? Hydroquinone 8%: Hydroquinone is one of the most effective skin lightening ingredients available on the market. Enlighten Mask includes a prescription strength Hydroquinone 8%. Hydroquinone works by decreasing the formation of melanin in the skin. Retinol: Retinol increases cell turnover. Increasing cell turnover causes the darkened pigment to shed quickly revealing even skin tone. Salicylic acid: Helps to unclog pores by dissolving sebum and keratin. Sebum and keratin are the main components that block pores. Salicylic acid also increases cell turnover. Kojic Acid: Helps lighten and brighten skin by stopping the production of tyrosinase. Tyrosinase is a building product of melanin. If melanin cannot form, then the skin will have a lighter appearance. Arbutin: Arbutin slowly releases hydroquinone. Hydroquinone blocks tyrosinase activity causing a decrease in melanin and lighting the skin. Niacinamide: Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, helps lighten and brighten skin by reducing the activity of melanin. THD Ascorbate: Is a form of vitamin C. Vitamin C stops melanin production resulting in skin brightening and more even skin tone. Vitamin C also helps encourage cell turnover improving pigment and wrinkles. Antioxidants, Soothing Botanical Extracts & Vitamins: Protect the skin from any inflammation during and after the peel After the Peel The Enlighten Mask peel includes 28 days of skincare products to elevate treatment results and improve skin appearance after the peel is performed. CALL SLK TODAY TO SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION TO DISCUSS YOUR HYPERPIGMENTATION NEEDS : BOOK NOW
Hyperpigmentation Part I: 3 Over-The-Counter Ingredients That Are Clicinally Proven To Reduce Unwanted Dark Spots
HOW TO TREAT HYPERPIGMENTATION FROM SUN, SCARS, AND HORMONES Melanin, the brown molecule that gives skin its tan color, plays an important role in protecting our DNA from the harmful effects of UV sun radiation. However, it tends to accumulate over the summer months, often in the unwanted form of sunspots or freckles, and it can even darken pre-existing skin conditions like melasma or hyperpigmented acne scars. Without treatment, these dark spots may take months to years to resolve. Read on to learn 3 nurse-recommended over-the-counter ingredients to look for on skincare labels. A NOTE ON HYPERPIGMENTATION Before we discuss the following 3 ingredients, it is important to note that hyperpigmentation is one of the most complex and stubborn conditions to treat in aesthetic dermatology, sometimes requiring several adjustments to the treatment plan. Thus, if over-the-counter therapy doesn’t appear to be working for you (which is common), you should begin a patient-provider relationship with a licensed professional who can review your progress every 1-3 months. 1. KOJIC ACID Kojic acid is one of the most effective over-the-counter skin-brightening ingredients on the market. This molecule was first isolated in Japan from steamed fermented rice (called “Koji” in Japanese.) Clinical studies have shown that kojic acid acts by inhibiting the principal enzyme in melanin synthesis. This action is the same as that of hydroquinone, the gold standard in prescription-grade hyperpigmentation therapy (see our “Hyperpigmentation Part II” post for more thoughts on hydroquinone). While kojic acid has long been the most popular skincare ingredient in Eastern Asia for treating melasma, it has more recently gained popularity in the US for all types of pigmentary conditions. It is important to note is that kojic acid has been known to cause skin sensitivity in some individuals, and should be decreased or discontinued if redness or irritation occur. 2. NIACINAMIDE Clinical trials using 2% niacinamide have shown that it significantly reduces the total size of hyperpigmented areas and lightens baseline skin color after 4 weeks of treatment. Niacinamide’s action is to block the transfer of melanin from the base skin layer where it is synthesized by the body, to the superficial layer that gives us our skin color. Niacinamide also has anti-inflammatory properties, prevents water-loss from the skin, and is very stable in formulation, so overall it is considered very useful by skincare chemists and can be found in a wide array of cosmeceuticals. 3. LICORICE EXTRACT Licorice extracts, derived from the roots of licorice plants, are the safest over-the-counter pigment-lightening agents with the fewest side effects. The active agents in licorice extract are known as glabridin and liquiritin. Glabridin acts similarly to kojic acid, in that it inhibits the principal enzyme in melanin synthesis, and liquiritin facilitates dispersal and removal of melanin by the body. Additionally, licorice extract has anti-inflammatory properties which aid in reducing any redness or irritation. Tatcha Deep Brightening Serum containing licorice extract-$185.00 These 3 ingredients are all well-studied with superb safety profiles, hence why they are all available over-the-counter at your local sephora or department store. However, these ingredients cannot be compared to prescription grade ingredients which are by far the most clinically-effective at reducing pigmentation. See our next blog post for part 2 of 3 on hyperpigmentation: “3 of the Best Prescription-Strength Dark Spot Creams According to a Nurse”. DISCLAIMER : THIS CONTENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS SOLELY THE OPINION OF JENNIFER STIEBER, NP WHICH MAY DIFFER FROM THE OPINION OF OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS. IT SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFSSIONAL DIAGNOSIS OR TREATMENT.
