While skin pigmentation is more prominent among adults past the age of 30s, anyone can develop this skin concern at any point in life. There are many types of skin pigmentation problems, but a one-size-fits-all procedure to cure pigmentation has yet to be discovered despite the advancements in the aesthetic industry today.
You can easily identify skin pigmentations on your skin. They can develop anywhere in your body, but oftentimes they form in the areas that are always exposed under the rays of the sun like your face, hands, shoulders, upper back, forearms, and legs. Aside from sun exposure, skin pigmentation may also be caused by inflammation or injury. This condition is called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) and occurs in the areas of the skin affected by acne, blisters, burns, cuts, eczema, psoriasis, rashes, or skin infections. Additionally, there are also pigmentation disorders that are due to a health condition, such as Melasma or Vitiligo.
Unlocking a Challenging Quest to Fade Dark Spots
The demand for pigmentation treatment in Singapore has beauty aisles in stores filled with various over-the-counter products that promise to remove or erase these pesky marks. Step into your local pharmacy and you can find different kinds of creams, toners, and serums that you can quickly purchase without a prescription. While easily accessible, do these OTC treatments live up to their promises? Can these products deliver effective and long lasting results? Before we answer these questions, let’s first take a closer study on how pigmentation forms in the skin.
Our body has a natural pigment known as Melanin. This pigment is responsible for giving the color of our eyes, hair, and skin. Melanin is produced by a special cell in the body called melanocyte. The amount of melanin produced is controlled by the melanocyte, so when it becomes overactive, an excess amount of melanin is released which can deposit at a certain area of the skin, resulting in dark pigmentations.
What stimulates the melanocyte’s overproduction of melanin?
There are a couple of factors that can stimulate the melanocyte to overproduce melanin, such as inflammation, hormones, and UV exposure.
As mentioned earlier, you can get dark spots when the skin is regularly exposed to the sun or when the skin heals from an inflammation or injury like acne, causing post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Particularly in women, fluctuating hormones due to the use of contraceptives or pregnancy can trigger a skin pigmentation condition called Melasma.
The only way to achieve clear skin following any of these triggers is to have an effective treatment in place that can interrupt or hasten your skin’s natural process in shedding pigmented cells.
Skincare Ingredients that are Proven to Fight Pigmentation
The key to successfully erasing dark marks from your skin relies on many kinds of ingredients that can lighten and brighten your skin. Although OTC skincare products may contain many of these, their concentration and strength to treat and completely lighten and brighten dark spots may not be as potent as prescription products or clinic pigmentation treatments in Singapore.
Popular ingredients that can help inhibit melanocytes from producing too much melanin
Melanin inhibitors work by targeting the melanocytes and stopping the enzyme called tyrosinase from transforming the amino acid tyrosine into melanin. Below are the ingredients that can impede melanin development:
- Arbutin/Alpha-Arbutin (Hydroquinone)
- Kojic Acid
- Licorice Root Extract (Glabaridin and Liquiritin)
- Tranexamic Acid
Popular ingredients that can help lighten dark spots
Antioxidants and brighteners are effective ingredients that fight free radicals, which usually trigger pigmentation formation in the body. The most common ingredients included in OTC skincare products are:
- Ascorbic acid or Vitamin C
- Niacinamide or Vitamin B3
Popular ingredients that can exfoliate and boost cell-turnovers
Exfoliants help the skin by speeding up the shedding of your pigmented skin cells and resurfacing fresh and clear skin. Look for these ingredients when choosing your skincare products:
- Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs – Glycolic and Lactic Acid)
- Azelaic Acid
- Retinol
OTC Skincare Product Limitations in Fading Dark Spots
Compared to prescription medications or in-clinic aesthetic procedures, the concentration and penetration of OTC skincare products are significantly limited.
The concentration of ingredients contained in OTC skincare treatments are restricted to ensure product safety. Hence, the mass produced creams, toners, and serums displayed on the beauty aisles that are within your arm’s easy reach have lower amounts of ingredients that inhibit melanin production or lighten pigmentation. These products still work, but the results may take a long time and will only show significant results when used consistently.
Likewise, skincare products that are sold over-the-counter are formulated to only work on the top layer of the skin or the epidermis. If your skin pigmentation problems go deeper into the skin, OTC products may be less effective as these will not be able to penetrate deeply.
The Hidden Dangers of OTC Skincare Products for Fading Dark Spots
Aside from limitations, using OTC skincare products to erase skin pigmentation has its risks and complications. One risk that can bring more harm than good to your skin is the presence of illegal or undisclosed ingredients in unregulated products or those that market themselves as “fast-acting.” These can contain potent corticosteroids or more than the regular approved amount of hydroquinone for mass distributed skincare creams.
Another risk of using OTC skincare products without proper medical supervision is exposing the skin to side effects like thinning or exogenous ochronosis, which causes the skin to develop a permanent bluish-black colour that is permanent. You may be at greater risk of developing this complication if you have darker complexion.
Lastly, with continuous and long use, active ingredients like high levels of Vitamin C or retinoids can make your skin vulnerable to UV damage as OTC products may increase your skin’s photosensitivity. This will most likely happen especially when you do not use sunscreen everyday. As a result, your skin pigmentation may become darker and more difficult to treat.
Conclusion: Are OTC skincare products effective in fading dark spots?
Our verdict: for mild to moderate pigmentation treatment, OTC skincare products may help fade dark spots, although it should be used with consistency and vigilance. These products still contain active ingredients that can harm the skin and lead to further problems when not used properly according to instructions. Using OTC skincare products to lighten your dark spots will also require patience as these may need longer time to be able to give results.
If your skin pigmentation remains stubborn despite consistent use of OTC products or if you would like to see clear skin faster, you should consider consulting with a reputable aesthetic clinic in Singapore to have your skin treated.
Edwin Lim Medical Aesthetic Clinic – Dr Edwin Lim
#02-12/13, Changi City Point,
5 Changi Business pArk Central 1,
Singapore 4886038
By Appointment Only:
#05-51 Lucky Plaza,
304 Orchard Road
Singapore 23888863
Tel: +65 690 422 18
Whatsapp: +65 963 722 18