Skin spots: why they occur and how to combat them

Skin spots or hyperpigmentation disorders are one of the main problems in dermatology. They increase with age due to the accumulation of sun received throughout our lives or after a summer of sunbathing, as tanning is a defense mechanism of the skin to protect us from the […]

Manchas en la piel: por qué se producen y cómo combatirlas

Skin spots or hyperpigmentation disorders are among the main problems in dermatology. They increase with age due to the cumulative sun exposure received throughout our lives or after a summer of sunbathing, as tanning is a defense mechanism the skin uses to protect us from sun damage by synthesizing more melanin.

What is melanin?

Melanin is the pigment that our body produces and gives color to our skin, eyes, or hair. Different skin phototypes (skin color) are determined by the amount of melanin in the skin. Lighter-skinned people produce very little melanin, while darker-skinned people produce more. Melanocytes are the cells responsible for melanin production. Melanin is distributed evenly across the skin, but sometimes it accumulates, forming clusters or spots.

Types of skin spots

Lentigines: these are small, visible, and well-defined brown spots, usually located in areas of the body most exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck, décolletage, or hands. For this reason, they are also known as senile spots or age spots. Lentigines are benign, posing no risk to health, but they are also an indicator of the damage the skin has suffered from sun exposure.

Melasma: this is skin pigmentation that causes dark patches of varying sizes, generally on the cheeks, mustache area, and forehead. It is common in women and often appears during pregnancy or while taking contraceptives, but it can appear in any woman and, less frequently, in men as well. Melasma is more common in darker phototypes. The key trigger for melasma is also the sun.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation: In this case, the increase in melanin occurs due to skin healing after a cutaneous lesion or inflammation. People with acne are more prone to suffering from this type of spot. Sometimes it can be triggered by aesthetic procedures, such as dermabrasion, chemical peels, or laser treatments. Although all skin types can be affected by post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, it affects darker phototypes more.

How can we prevent spots?

As you know, the most important thing in prevention is sun protection. We recommend reapplying sunscreen if you are in the sun for more than 2 hours; it is also important to protect ourselves with UV-protective clothing, hats, and caps during peak exposure hours or, for example, at the beach.

The main active ingredients for the treatment of skin spots are:

Melanin synthesis inhibitors: Vitamin C has been shown to be a powerful antioxidant with depigmenting action, as it inhibits the tyrosinase enzyme, thereby inhibiting melanin synthesis and preventing the appearance of spots. But that’s not all; it also reduces the size of existing spots. Vitamin C is also anti-inflammatory. It inhibits the inflammatory cascade reaction by blocking certain enzymes, so it is also indicated for soothing irritated or acne-prone skin.

Another one of the most interesting ingredients that we use in our serums to prevent sun damage is ferulic acid. It is a very powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals, protecting the skin from environmental pollution, tobacco, and harmful UVB and UVA rays. It also inhibits melanogenesis, being more effective than kojic acid as a depigmenting treatment.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that abounds in the stratum corneum, where it prevents lipid peroxidation; that is, it prevents the oxidation of the fatty acids that form the skin's lipid membranes. This avoids a chain reaction in which reactive oxygen species (ROS) would alter the biosynthesis of collagen and glycosaminoglycans in the skin. It also inhibits the process of melanogenesis by preventing the production of melanin in melanoma cells induced by UV radiation.

Just as there are numerous studies that support the properties of each of these antioxidants, there is research that demonstrates increased results when formulations are created incorporating all 3 active ingredients: vitamin C, vitamin E, and ferulic acid, as is the case with our BIO SERUM Vitamin C and Ferulic Acid oil-free (for combination and oily skin) and Nutritive Repair (for drier skin).

Melanin synthesis inhibitors and stratum corneum renewers: Azelaic acid is a great ally against skin spots and marks, especially those that accompany acne processes. Thanks to its keratolytic function, it helps reduce skin thickening, accelerating the cell renewal process and replacing damaged cells with new ones. It also inhibits the tyrosinase enzyme, which is responsible for producing the melanin that, as we know, leads to the appearance of skin spots. Therefore, azelaic acid provides depigmenting action through these two pathways, helping to combat melasma and any other post-inflammatory pigmentation, acne, and acne scars, in addition to rosacea. For all these reasons, it is one of the star active ingredients in our new BIO SERUM AZELAIC TREATMENT.

The skin lesions and spots we talk about here are not harmful to health, although there are other types of spots that can be dangerous, which is why at Cosmetics Herbera we always recommend visiting a dermatologist so they can evaluate them.