pigmentation is not nice

Pigmentation. Spots. on your face, neck, hands. Ugg! A topic we get asked about the most, and I understand why, as an "ex-patient".

Wrinkles and redness are not nearly as bad, and better camouflaged. Pigmented skin distracts from one's natural beauty more than anything else and turns light gray with makeup; although we have tips for that, too. (Use a concealer that is much more pink than you would normally use on your skin. The consistency preferably not too cake-like: like YSL's Touche Eclat, but we're also fans of Armani's liquid concealer and Bobbi Brown's under eye concealer.)

Fortunately, there really is something to be done about it. But for that, understanding what it is exactly is helpful. So ladies...let's get a little technical! Pigmentation has to do with two factors;

• Your conditional skin color. That's what you were born with.
• your facultative skin color. That wort influenced by all the other factors, such as hormones, inflammatory reactions, and UV rays that pass signals to your pituitary gland to produce melanocytes.

These are converted with the help of the enzyme tyrosinase to melanin, in different colors, which travels through the various skin layers to the outer layer of your skin.The different causes give pigmentation symptoms, which are also treatable in different ways. In a row from easiest to treat to most difficult we then see:

• UV damage
• post-inflammatory pigmentation
• hormonal pigmentation or melasma, this is deep in the dermis
• hyperpigmentation in which melanin production is increased

Fight it in two ways, by breaking up the pigmentation and the pigmentation process, and by prevention: your sun protection.There are many remedies that help keep pigmentation in check. For example, look for licorice root, yeast extract, rice extract, hawthorn, niaciamide and glucosamine.

Better yet, are agents that actively combat the process, such as:

• bearberry -whose extract is said to have all the brightening benefits of hydroquinone, but without the drawbacks.
• the alga Palmaria Palmata, which acts on every step of the process, even on the signal that transmits the message to produce melanin.
• magnesium ascorbyl phosphate in stable form - this form of vitamin C "eats" the free radicals responsible for irregular production of melanocytes, reduces oxidation and therefore the dark color of melanin, and blocks the auxiliary enzyme tyrosinase.

Important when treating this stubborn problem is to choose safe products. No peels with chlorine compounds such as TCAs, no kojak acid or hydroquinone, and no vitamin A preparations with a concentration higher than 0.3%, which can promote the inflammatory reaction within the skin, and thus make the skin more UV-sensitive in the long run. Or can leave nasty bleached out spots that make the skin look even more blotchy.

Further important to consider that even if you would stop ALL melanin production in your skin, it would still take 45 days for the last produced melanin to work its way up to the outer skin layer! So be patient, you will only see after these 45 days if something works for you.

And now the good news:

Scientific Organics products all contain bearberry and palmaria palmata, in addition to anti-aging and moisturizing ingredients of the highest quality. The peels are natural, contain no chlorine, and are essential for draining the pigmentation brought to the surface. They are therefore also suitable for any skin color.

EmerginC Vitamin C Serum contains the much desired -and hard to find- stable form of magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, making it an effective and essential remedy for pigmentation. Use it 2x a day. (And also gently in the sun; it effectively has a protection of SPF 8.)

So if you want to tackle your pigmentation thoroughly then in addition to a little patience and perseverance, you need the following:

Scientific Organics Kombucha cleanser - 2x per day

Scientific Organics At Home Peel and Clarifying kit- 2x per week

Scientific Organics Blue Poppy Seed Enzyme Polish - Every other day, on days when at home peel is not used.

emerginC vitamin c 20%- 2x a day, just let it soak in for a good minute.

Scientific Organics Phytocell cream for dry or older skin, or emerginC Active Hydrating Complex for younger oilier skin, 2x a day.

emerginC sun tinted Natural sunscreen SPF 30 tinted with mineral filters.

TIPS: A supportive treatment at an emerginC salon is definitely recommended! And take a picture on day 1, and then every month in the same light; that way you can see your progress. Send us your photos after two months, then we can see if it is necessary to use a stronger peel such as the Triple Threat Peel, or for some stubborn spots the Spot Lightening Gel.

Good luck, and feel free to email us with your questions,

Silke