femalenetwork.com

When you reach your 30s, you might notice that your once fair and flawless face has begun to develop unflattering dark spots. You begin to panic: You’ve always been careful to avoid the sun at all cost, even wearing foundation with sunscreen everyday; and you’ve always cleansed your face first with facial scrubs, to remove all dirt and oil, then applied toner afterwards. What could have possibly gone wrong? Could you ever bring back that bright, healthy glow you used to have when you were a few years younger?

Issa Cellona, MD, a dermatologist at the St. Luke’s Medical Center, sheds light on the most common questions about dark spots and skin whitening.

According to Dr. Issa, pigmentation (called melasma in medical terms) usually begins when a woman reaches 30. These dark spots that appear under one’s eyes, cheekbones, nose, forehead, and cheeks, make one appear tired and old.

Causes of pigmentation are either beyond your control or your own doing, albeit unconsciously. One of these is genetics, when women in your family tend to develop dark spots once they reach a certain age. See the older women in your family now if they have developed freckles or pigmentation, and if they have, there’s a possibility that you will, too. Another cause is hormonal changes brought about by the use of contraceptives or birth control pills that upset your estrogen levels. Also a common cause for dark spots is UV exposure.

Since causes are different, treatments come in different forms. For some, all it takes are really good skin care products from a trusted brand. For others, their dermatologists might require them to take either prescription drugs or undergo medical procedures such as microdermabrasion, or the process of removing a portion of the outermost surface of the skin through methods of abrasion, according to Brian Zelickson, MD, faculty of the Department of Dermatology in the University of Minnesota Medical School (to read more on microdermabrasion, click here).

'Genetics or hormonal imbalance contribute to dark spots'

Yet no matter what the cause, dark spots have always been one of the more difficult dermatological problems to treat, says Dr. Issa. It is important to take measures to prevent it if and while you still can.

One of the easier and more common ways of protecting yourself from dark spots is to always use sunscreen. “Generally, people underdose on sunscreen, so it is better to layer sunscreen products on your face,” says Dr. Issa. “When my patients ask me if they can replace sunscreen with a foundation with SPF, I always tell them to put sunscreen first then layer it with their SPF foundation.”

'Pick sunscreen that have both SPF and PA'

She also notes that when choosing sunscreen, always pick those that have both SPF and PA (Protection Grade of UVA). SPF can only protect you from UVB rays, which causes sunburn, but you also need PA as protection from UVA rays, which causes tanning and aging. Clinique, for instance, recently launched its Derma White Advanced Brightening System line, for both the face and the eyes, which has a SPF15 and PA+.

Pampering your skin daily with good quality and trusted skincare products are also the best way to maintain a bright, glowing skin, according to Dr. Issa. Use products from trusted brands to cleanse, tone, and moisturize your skin. Make sure that your cleanser and toner are both gentle and will not cause dryness, which makes your skin to lose its glow. While facial scrubs may thoroughly remove dirt, they may also rob your skin of its natural moisture, so avoid having to use them too often.

Prevention is better than cure, so while you still can, take measures to evade those looming dark spots.

Dr. Issa Cellona giving a talk on dark spots.