BATB039_Beauty experts guide to age spots and melasma

If you've spent any time in the sun over the summer or you've gone through some hormonal changes recently, you may have noticed that you have a few more brown spots on your face and body 🌞

Below 👇 I hope I can help explain why you may have these spots and how you can embrace them or, if you wish, attempt to lessen them 🤎

Freckles, age spots and melasma, are all caused by overactive pigment cells. These cells all produce melanin, a substance that darkens the skin.

Freckles:

Are tiny brown spots that usually appear on sun-exposed areas early in life, and fade over time. However, they can darken in the sun and heat and then fade in cooler months.

Age spots:

Look similar to freckles (often you'll have an individual spot instead of a close cluster). They are irregular in shape, larger than freckles, and vary from tan to very dark brown. They occur in sun-exposed skin. 

Melasma:

Is a hyperpigmentation condition that can appear in a symmetrical cluster pattern. These usually occur over the face, neck, décolletage or shoulders.

Melasma patches are often triggered by sun exposure and can be intensified by changes in hormone levels associated with contraceptives, pregnancy, or postmenopausal hormone therapy.

I love to encourage women to embrace their brown spots, because they're unique and add lots of personality to a face! 🥰

But if you want to reduce or conceal your brown spots, then have a read of my 3 simples tips below 👇

It's important to be careful when you're out in the sun, since damage from the sun's UV rays is not always visible, in particular, UVA rays 👍

UVA damage will happen beneath the skin's layers and produce brown spots, fine lines and wrinkles over time.

It's a good idea to protect your complexion daily with a good quality SPF of at least 30, that contains a broad spectrum of UVA & UVB protection, like this ARK Skincare SPF Primer 🧴

Don't be fooled by only wearing an SPF – many facial creams and some makeup products don't have broad spectrum protection, which means they will only protect your skin against UVB and not the UVA rays 🙅‍♀️

Why you need UVA protection...

Makeup can easily help lessen the look of brown spots, in no time at all! 💕

There are a few things you can try:

Apply self-tan all over your face and neck, and then, with a little piece of tissue, 'dab' the self-tan away on the areas where you have brown spots.

Then, apply a small dot of moisturiser onto these areas so the self-tan doesn't develop on your brown spots (and make the brown spots darker).

By warming up the tone of your skin with self-tan, you'll make the brown spotting appear less, as it won't contrast so much against paler skin 💖

I recommend using He-shi's Hyaluronic Tanning Balm because it creates beautifully natural looking results, that will even out you skin tone without looking fake! 🙏

Apply your foundation as you normally would all over your face and on the areas of your face that have brown spots. Now, on your brown spot (only) apply another layer of foundation and blend out.

If you wish for more coverage, 'dab' a full-coverage concealer or foundation over the top of the brown spot(s).

Doll10 T.C.E Foundation is a great full-coverage foundation that works well to cover spots & blemishes! 👏

If you're not one for wearing foundation, simply apply a swoosh of bronzer over your face and neck, and this will help tone all your skin together and further help demise the look of any brown spots 👍

I use this Lord and Berry Bronzer because it comes in two natural looking shades that you can build up gradually, to get the perfect shade for your skin tone! 💁‍♀️

Retinols are derivatives from Vitamin A.

Retinol communicates with skin cells and tell them to produce faster skin turn-over and skin cell renewal 💫

When it comes to brown spots, this is important because retinol encourages the development of healthy new skin cells, unaffected by hyperpigmentation and melanin.

Retinol treatment does take perseverance and time. It can take up to 10 months to see a gradual decrease in the brown spots, but over continued use they could go completely ⏰🌟

Should you use retinol, Skinician's Ageless Powerbalm is a great retinol for beginners! 

Dermatologists have several proven techniques for treating brown spots, including chemical peels and prescription ointments containing 'Hydroquinone'.

However, fractional non-ablative laser therapy is known as the most effective and permanent treatment, especially for severe melasma 👍

Look for dermatologists in your local area with proven results and great reviews for treating melasma.

The 'need to know'!

Check your skin regularly for moles that are new, growing, changing, or irregular in shape and colour. They could be a sign of skin cancer and need to be checked by a dermatologist as soon as possible.

If melanoma runs in your family or if you have in the past used tanning beds, or have had several sunburns, you're at increased risk and should have your skin checked regularly by a dermatologist 💖

When we look at ourselves in the mirror, we often can be guilty of zooming in and focusing on the bits we wish to change/improve 😔

However, other people look at us as a whole and take in the full picture! 💖

This means until we point out our flaws, most people don't even notice them!

Some of the most beautiful women in the world have brown spots on their face - a woman without brown spots is like a night without stars ✨

I hope, after trying these tips that I’ve helped you feel and look the very best version of you! 💕

If you haven't already, be sure to take a peek at my guide to age spots and melasma above 👆

Plus, scroll down to discover even more tips that I think you'll love below!👇