Skincare products can truly improve hyperpigmentation and overall skin brightness, and Dr. Lo and the About Faces Med Spa team are big believers in the power of products as an effective treatment in helping protect skin and prevent hyperpigmentation from forming. Visible improvements can be seen by using a topical skincare regimen every day. Incorporating your pigment products with med spa treatments (like VI Chemical Peels, LaseMD, or NeoGen Plasma) takes you a step further and is one of the most effective ways to combat pigmentation.

Let’s start with the basics… the root of it all! How do dark spots, age spots, sun spot, freckles and melasma show up on our skin? Trauma to the skin cells (such as sun exposure, inflammation or injury, or hormonal changes) triggers your melanocytes to produce the tyrosinase enzyme which oxidizes and creates the overproduction of melanin. Tyrosinase is an enzyme produced by your body to protect your skin against damage. This is a natural response, but sometimes too much melanin is transported to the surface of the skin which causes dark patches to form. To prevent pigment we need products that stop melanin from forming, and since tyrosinase creates the melanin, we need tyrosinase inhibitor skincare products! A mouthful – we know! Using a tyrosinase inhibitor in your skincare products can safely target and control how quickly your skin produces melanin and ultimately reduce pigmentation… no more dark spots and hello, even skin tone! Luckily there are several tyrosinase inhibitor ingredients to help reduce pigmentation, below are a few of our favorite products!

SkinCeuticals Phyto A+ Brightening Treatment

Phyto A+ is one of our favorite daily treatments for pigmentation and skin clarity because it contains a powerful botanical blend that truly helps improve skin brightness. This daily brightening moisturizer has a lightweight texture that is ideal for all skin types and can be easily layered under your SPF. It’s gentle enough to use without irritation and even safe for sensitive skin types which may not be able to use more aggressive products.

This lovely lime-green lotion works by combining 3% Azelaic Acid which helps with cellular turnover and decreases the buildup of dead skin cells and sebum, so skin looks less dull. More importantly, Azelaic Acid is a tyrosinase inhibitor which helps control how quickly your skin produces melanin and can also lighten brown spots left behind from old facial scars or imperfections.

Phyto A+ also has 2% Alpha Arbutin – a powerful but extremely gentle derivative of hydroquinone which provides skin lightening without the irritation. Alpha Arbutin also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities to help soothe skin.

Also included in Phyto A+ is Niacinamide, which is having a moment! Niacinamide is Vitamin B3 and is not made naturally by our bodies, like Hyaluronic Acid so taking a supplement or using a topical product can give your skin the extra benefits. According to Self Magazine, Niacinamide has been shown to help repair and strengthen the skin barrier which keeps our skin balanced and healthy. It is tolerable for people with rosacea and sensitive skin. It also works very well with tyrosinase inhibitors to help reduce melanin production and brown spots. No wonder Niacinamide is everywhere!

ZO Brightalive

ZO Brightalive is an outstanding topical skin brightening product that is also loaded with tyrosinase inhibitors to help fade dark spots and increase skin luminosity. Brightalive is a cocktail of skin brightening ingredients including Niacinamide (that’s right!) and Tranexamic Acid.

Like Azelaic Acid, Tranexamic Acid helps block the melanin producing cells from making their way to the skin’s surface. Tranexamic acid is a derivative of the amino acid lysine and is not produced by the body, so only way to get the protective benefits is to apply topically. As mentioned in Allure, Tranexamic Acid works very well with other antioxidants and skin brightening ingredients like Ascorbic Acid aka Vitamin C, and Niacinamide to help reduce inflammation while preventing the overproduction of melanin.

In addition to these skin brightening ingredients, Brightalive also has Papain enzyme – from papaya – which gently eats away and removes dead skin cells and sebum, so skin looks less dull and tired and more radiant. As a retinol-free skincare product, ZO Brightalive is safe for people with sensitive skin so there’s only complexion smoothing benefits and no risk of irritation. This non-hydroquinone product is a luxurious lightweight cream that feels silky smooth going on the skin and can easily be layered under your SPF and makeup.

ZO Pigment Products

The most powerful and effective skincare product for skin lightening and hyperpigmentation is hydroquinone. Hydroquinone is a fast-acting tyrosinase inhibitor and a highly potent bleaching solution that gradually lightens and inhibits hyperpigmentation by altering the natural processes that causes cell damage. It is specifically created to help even skin tone by slowing melanin production, and dramatically reduces the appearance of melasma, freckles and sun damage. This effective treatment is also the most controversial with potential, but very safe, side effects like photosensitivity, redness, flaking and overall sensitivity.

The About Faces Med Spa team is extremely knowledgeable when working with Hydroquinone therapies and will be with you every step of the way when you start your customized product regimen using the ZO Pigment Control Crème and ZO Pigment Control + Blending Crème. The ZO Pigment Control Crème has a 4% hydroquinone that gradually lessens appearance of discoloration for a more even skin tone. The ZO Pigment Control + Blending Crème also has 4% hydroquinone to suppress pigment production while hydrating newly exposed skin. Usually these products are combined with other curated products like ZO 10% Vitamin C and a retinol which has been selected for your skin type.

During the treatment these products will result in greater photosensitivity, so avoid direct sunlight and make sure to use sunscreen daily. Typically, hydroquinone pigment products should not be used for more than five months at a time, our team recommends a two-three month break between use – moving to the Brightalive or Phyto A+ Brightening Treatment can keep your complexion bright. This process should not be abrupt but more of a gradual weaning-off process which the About Faces Med Spa team can help with.

Sun Protection Products

No product regimen would be complete without that last step, the final layer of protection, the icing on the cake… or face! As Dr. Lo has always says, you must use sunscreen to protect your skincare investment and prevent future damage, otherwise you are wasting your time and money. This is especially true when trying to control pigmentation and using skincare products designed to lighten and brighten the skin. Some products, like hydroquinone, can sensitize the skin so it is crucial to protect yourself with an SPF and not cause more damage. We recommend using a broad-spectrum sun care product that can protect against UVA and UVB rays which reduces your risk of skin cancer, sunburn, and prevents the early signs of aging. We look for a product that is noncomedogenic and dermatologist tested so it’s ideal for even sensitive skin types and won’t clog pores. We also want sunscreens that are fragrance-free and glide on the skin with a silky-smooth feel, not heavy or chalky. EltaMD sun care products check all these boxes! The EltaMD line has broad-spectrum sunscreens for the body, for daily use - both tinted and non-tinted, and for sport with a spray and a stick application! We love the variety available with the EltaMD products which offers a sun protection solution for everyone.

Customize your skincare regimen with About Faces Med Spa

Dark patches, melasma, freckles, and age spots can affect most of us at some point in our lives. And, if hyperpigmentation is not visible, it can be lurking beneath the surface of the skin, deep in your dermis, waiting to come to the surface after that missed application of sunblock! Using skincare products with tyrosinase inhibitors can help prevent underlying and existing pigment from surfacing as well as reduce pigment from developing and help lighten older pigmented areas. Combining effective medical grade skincare products with med spa treatments like chemical peels, laser resurfacing and plasma resurfacing can magnify your skin brightening results for visible improvement. Schedule your consultation with our team to learn which products and treatments can best help your skin concerns.