We love researching the best SPFs and night care creams for our face, nourishing lotions for our hands and legs, and hydrating moisturizers for our feet, but are we making the same effort for our neck and back? We know, we know! We are all guilty of neglecting the skin on our backs and necks. But we bet you don’t want the skin from your chin to your chest to be too thin and fragile, prone to wrinkles and a sagging neckline. Did you know that neck skin wrinkles faster than the face because the collagen layer is thinner. And the skin on our backs is always dry and itchy. To top it off, hyperpigmentation in the neck leaves such a bad impression, no one wants skin with hyperpigmentation and blemishes.
ce. But remember to be careful with ingredients as the skin is more fragile here, so it is more likely to react to powerful actives. Confused? Read our complete guide to back and neck creams.
How do such creams work?
Hyperpigmentation, a common skin condition, manifests in various ways such as melasma, dark spots, age spots, blotchy skin with deeper tones on the body. It can be reduced or managed by adding the right kind of skin care products to your regimen. All you need to do is make sure you choose the right kind of ingredients that will help you tackle the problem, and don’t use any harmful ingredients or products that claim shortcut results. “To understand how an anti-pigmentation or hyperpigmentation cream works, we must first understand what causes hyperpigmentation. Melanin cells in our skin, once damaged or unhealthy, produce exorbitant amounts of melanin, giving our skin a deeper color. Anti-pigmentation creams work by reducing the production and formation of melanin in the skin, resulting in reduced pigmentation, dark spots and age spots,” says Deep Lalvani, founder of Sublime LIfe
Some of the active substances that help with skin discoloration are niacinamide, glycolic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, kojic acid, lactic acid. “Natural extracts like papaya, bearberry, licorice, and mulberry also have skin lightening and smoothing properties,” says Zeal Shah, founder of Bare Body Essentials.
Active ingredients to look out for in the labels? Safe ingredients for skin discoloration
While anti-pigmentation ingredients don’t have a great track record when it comes to safety, there are some active ingredients that are considered 100% safe and effective to combat hyperpigmentation, such as kojic acid, niacinamide, alpha arbutin, glycolic acid to Couple of. “These safe ingredients for skin discoloration inhibit melanin synthesis, remove melanin pigment faster, even out skin tone and give a healthy, luminous glow. They are also useful skin care ingredients because they multitask and provide your skin with more benefits than just one,” says Lalvani.
Go for natural or safe alternatives for skin brightening or hyperpigmentation issues. “Some ingredients to look for in OTC are Kojic Acid, Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Willow Bark Extract, AHAs and BHAs, Glutathione, Azelaic Acid, Mulberry Extract, Alpha Arbutin, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, and Licorice Extract. In addition to these natural alternatives, there are prescription drugs available, but always check with your dermatologist for any serious skin concerns,” adds Aditi Vyas, co-founder of Azafran.
How do you choose a product that might work for you?
When it comes to choosing the right skin care product for you, there is no concept of ‘one formula that fits everyone’. Skin care is very personal and what works for one person’s skin may not work for another. “Rather than jumping on the trend wagon and choosing a product with a big cult following, we encourage consumers to put in a little extra effort and time to understand which ingredients work better for their skin. It’s important to know your skin type, the skin problem you need to address (hyperpigmentation in this case), and the best ingredients that will help you achieve maximum results,” says Lalvani.
If you are not sure about your skin type, do not hesitate to seek the help of a dermatologist. They will help you recommend the most precise products and ingredients for your skin type.
“We believe that every part of the body needs a different kind of care, so we’ve come up with a very specific and targeted skincare range to make it easy for our users to choose according to their needs and concerns,” says Shah.
For anti-pigmentation creams that work well for the neck and back, products with azelaic acid, retinoids and kojic acid are the way to go.
Depending on the degree of hyperpigmentation or discoloration, you may want to choose your cream. “For everyday skin glow, licorice extract, mulberry extract, niacinamide, vitamin C, and kojic acid are the ingredients that work quite well without disturbing the skin. For slightly stronger pigmentation, lactic acid, glycolic acid-based, and AHA and BHA-based creams work well,” says Vyas.
How long does it take for hyperpigmentation to fade aided by such creams?
In any skincare routine, consistency is key. There is no magic cure for lasting effects. “Most users start to see visible results after 15 days of regular use, while some can last up to a month,” Shah added.
Understandably, hyperpigmentation can be a frustrating skin problem to target. Hyperpigmentation can take some time to fade depending on the cause. Deeper skin tones may take a little longer due to the higher melanin content in the skin cells. However, anyone can speed up the process of reducing hyperpigmentation by adding anti-pigmentation creams and other essentials to their skincare routine and using them rigorously for maximum results. “Using a combination of an efficient serum that targets dark spots and fades pigmentation spots, along with a cream, including anti-inflammatory and brightening ingredients, can provide better and faster results. Many brands claim faster results ranging from just two weeks to months before the dark spots fade and the skin becomes brighter,” says Lalvani.
Every skin reacts differently to every active ingredient. “Stay away from 5 day and 7 day claim creams as they will always contain harsh skin damaging chemicals. Depending on your skin type and level of pigmentation, it may take 2 to 3 weeks to see actual results which is very normal. Please be patient and the results will shine,” says Vyas.
How do these creams differ from other existing products that fall under the “Tan Removal” category?
Hyperpigmentation creams work to efficiently reduce dark spots, age spots or dark spots in the skin caused by an increased amount of melanin production. Hyperpigmentation can be caused by hormonal fluctuations, genetics, medications, sun exposure and many other factors, tanning on the other hand is caused by exposure to the harmful UV rays. “Tan removal creams have a blend of key minerals, natural oils and ingredients that remove dead skin cells, boost blood circulation, fight free radicals and enable cell repair. This helps remove the temporarily darkened skin caused by sun exposure,” says Lalvani. While tan removal creams may contain more soothing ingredients such as aloe, cucumber, centella asiatica and others to soothe inflamed skin, hyperpigmentation creams contain more active ingredients that work at a slightly deeper level than the tan removal creams. brown.
Precautions One Can Take to Prevent Hyperpigmentation
Some of the basic precautions that can be taken to prevent hyperpigmentation include avoiding sunlight, use a hat to protect your skin from direct sunlight if you must go outside during peak sunlight. Use a sunscreen for extra protection, don’t touch your skin much with your hands, add vitamin C products to your daily routine,” says Shah.
If you are prone or prone to acne, use non-comedogenic emollient skin care products to prevent hyperpigmentation. Any injury or wound to the skin can also cause that area to darken in color, so it’s recommended not to pick at your skin. Exfoliating your skin regularly is another easy and effective way to slough off dead skin cells that lead to unwanted fine lines, dark skin, and wrinkles.
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