Have you ever wondered why that no matter how much you avoid the sun, you will get your skin pigmented? Is it because your sunscreen is ineffective? Though it is true that excessive exposure of sunlight is the main cause for dark spots on the face, there are other reasons why you face will get pigmented. Here are some triggers for pigmentation you may not know about:
1. Acne
You may or may not know that your acne marks can become a permanent pigmented spot, also known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Other injuries caused by microdermabrasion, chemical peels or laser-therapies can also trigger skin pigmentation. So if you have acne problems, be careful in the way you handle your skin. Do not squeeze the acne or aggravate the area.
2. Heat from hot steam bath and cooking
Not just the scorching sun will give you pigmentation, but also the heat from your daily cooking or hot steam bath can also stimulate your pigment cells. So avoid your face being exposed to high heat, that includes your hair dryer. Keep a distance away from the heat source- be it your hair dryer or the stove fire.
3. Chemical sunscreens
Shock? In the earlier posts, I mentioned that sunscreens help to prevent ageing and burning of your skin. When applying the chemical sunscreen on your face, the sunscreen absorbs the UV rays and disperse the heat energy to the surrounding tissue. This in turn stimulate the production of melanin, trigger hyperpigmentation in the skin. There are some commercial sunscreens containing estrogenic chemicals which cause hormonal imbalance, which in turn can lead to abnormal melanin production. This is also the same reason why pregnant women suffer from melasma since their bodies produces more estrogen. Read the ingredient content on the bottle of your chemical sunscreen and be wise in choosing your sunscreen.
4. Hormonal changes
Since I mentioned that pregnant women experience hormonal change and they experience melasma, we know that abnormal levels in estrogen and progesterone cause pigmentation. This applies to people who take birth control pills, food packed with estrogen such as soymilk and flax seed. Thus, it is important for us to manage our diet, to consume sufficient and reduce consumption of anything that can trigger hormonal imbalance as far as possible.
5. Lack of sleep
When you do not have enough sleep, your blood circulation will be weaken and there will be a lack of oxygen supply to your body. Without enough sleep, it increases stress hormones that causes skin pigmentation. In conclusion, SLEEP MORE! EXERCISE MORE!
6. Stress
According to a study, when you get stressed, you have a stronger skin pigmentation. This is more prominent in women than in men
