WATCH: RETINOIDS FOR SKIN PIGMENTATION
Gentle Retinoid Repair vs Pigmentation
Over the years we all expose our skin to the robust and harmful UV rays produced by our sun. This causes damage to our skin - creating sunspots and freckling, possible hyperpigmentation, and in severe cases, skin cancer. Retinoids actively work to reverse skin damage, even out pigmentation, and in doing so, prevents skin cancer and other harmful skin conditions.
As a result, our skin begins premature aging - leading to pigmentation in many cases.
How?
RETINOIDS…
- Work to decrease the transfer of melanosomes to keratinocytes (skin cells)
- Increases keratinocyte turnover (helping to speed the shedding of dead surface cells containing pigment)
- Decreases melanocyte activity
- Increases the ability of the skin to absorb products generally
- Helps to assist the function of other topical therapies, among other activities
After regular application, the retinoids bind to receptors on DNA and instruct the cells to counter the adverse effects of light on the skin.
If you’ve read our previous blog post: KISS Your Acne Goodbye With SkinHappy’s Solution Serum Series, then hopefully we have already provided you with a solid foundation for implementing our retinoid serum into your daily skincare routine. As previously discussed, retinoids actively work to heal and normalize any abnormalities or damage caused on the skin’s surface. However, the issue with most products available is the unknown concentration of retinoid within the serum. This leads to painful retinoid reactions, making many hesitant to use a retinoid product in the future.
Fortunately, SkinHappy’s dermatologist, Dr. Kenner, is the FIRST to create a solution that allows for ALL AGES & SKIN TYPES to safely utilize a retinoid product - avoiding the dreaded retinoid reactions altogether.
This is done by separating the retinoid’s concentration into 7 different levels of product. After years of research, Dr. Kenner has finally released her revolutionary Solution Serum Series.
With each level increasing the retinoids' strength, a patient can start at a lower level and gauge their skin’s tolerance to retinoids. This allows for safe application on children or those with delicate/sensitive skin!
Level 1-3 is safely recommended for children's use, reverting any sun damage caused by burns and preventing unfavorable skin conditions to surface in the future. These first three levels contain our most diluted retinoid product; allowing for the skin to grow tolerance and begin recognizing the molecule to prevent the possibility of a retinoid reaction.
Dr. Kenner advises starting with SkinHappy’s level 4 solution for adults. Once finishing the Retinoid Repair product, your skin should have the tolerance to move up to the next product level (if your budget allows it!)
What is Pigmentation?
Pigmentation occurs when both ultraviolet and artificial light stimulates the production of extra pigment in our skin, turning off the ability of our skin to remove excess pigment. Skin pigmentation goes by many names; with freckles, hyperpigmentation, seborrheic keratoses (“age spots,” “liver spots,” “sun spots”), PIE(post-inflammatory erythema), PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation), and melasma being the most common ones.
More often than not, pigmentation is a result of direct exposure to the sun.
UVA can penetrate the skin deeper than UVB, hitting the area where the melanocytes reside. While UVB is highly energetic and damaging to the skin (this is the form of light that typically causes sunburn), it does not penetrate as deeply into the skin. UVA radiation (320-400 nm) penetrates deeply even into the bone. UVA is present uniformly throughout the day and year and is not blocked by the atmospheric ozone layer.
Sunscreens block UVB very effectively (the effectiveness related to the SPF rating), but only variably block UVA, depending on the formulation. Although UVA is often not blocked well by many sunscreens, it is usually blocked to some degree by clothing. Unfortunately, UVA is highly reflective, and while a hat can protect from sunlight coming from above, it cannot protect from reflected light bouncing off the ground and returning upward.
Post-pregnancy melasma can contribute negatively to post-partum depression. Hyperpigmentation can have profound psychological implications, particularly in societies that equate darker skin with poorer socioeconomic status and/or stigmatization.
Pigmentation looks different for every skin type, factoring in environmental impacts and genetic predispositions, it is no wonder that a skin condition this complex can be so harmful to our self-image, yet so difficult to treat.
The easiest way to prevent pigmentation from occurring is with a high-quality SPF sunblock. This will shield your skin from UVB rays, however, UVA is often not blocked well by many sunscreens. UVA is usually blocked to some degree by clothing, but you still ultimately risk the chance of exposing your skin to our sun's harsh rays. This means that try as hard as we might, pigmentation can be unavoidable for many - leaving us with no option but to try our best to normalize and correct the skin pigmentation and impacts of sun exposure.
How Do Retinoids Repair Pigmentation?
As discouraging as facial pigmentation seems, there are ways to limit and even eliminate unwanted discoloration, once one has fully understood that using appropriate sun protection consistently is foundational and that additional treatments cannot work without this.
The miracle molecule derived from Vitamin A is important to building happy and healthy skin; and avoids risk when used topically, rather than orally. With its efficacy for treating the signs of aging skin confirmed in the 1980s, retinoic acid has dermatology-backed data proving its direct link to dermal collagen reconstruction, normalization of skin turnover, barrier repair, pigment modification, increased vascularity, and (to a degree) mutated DNA repair.
Dr. Kenner, and many other dermatologists and physicians, consider retinoids to be the most important reparative and health-maintaining molecules for skin, and are fundamental to any and all skin programs.
Now that we have properly protected our skin from further pigmentation, how can we repair the damage that has already been done to our skin?
SkinHappy’s Retinoid Repair Solution normalizes skin pigmentation, evening out texture and bumps, and most importantly repairing the damage from the sun. The efficacy of retinoic acid or tretinoin for treating the signs of aging skin was confirmed in the early 1980s when histological data confirmed the reconstruction of dermal collagen, normalization of skin turnover, barrier repair, pigment modification, and more.
Try out the essentials below for evening out skin pigment and discoloration!
Dr. Kenner has dedicated time into researching and testing retinoid solutions, to ultimately creating a patent-pending set of serums, ranging in 7 different levels of retinoid strength. This allows for the product used for all ages 2-99+, ensuring the patient can ease a retinoid product into their routine, building tolerance so the skin may tolerate stronger levels of retinoid in the future, providing a larger range of benefits in expediting the healing and regeneration process.
How is this not a universal product for those struggling with pigmentation and facial discoloration?
The simple answer: most over-the-counter and drug store products that contain any form of retinoid have weak efficacy and less compatibility for ALL skin types.
This vitamin A serum comes in prescription and non-prescription varieties to help combat pigmentation, as well as multiple other skin issues. There is a possibility that you have already tried a retinoid product or retinol serum, experienced a bad reaction or had no improvement at all. This may be discouraging you from incorporating a retinoid serum into your skincare routine and this is why you should rely on dermatologists.
The main issue with a retinoid serum when purchased over the counter is the unknown fact, giving the potential to cause irritation and in some cases, worsen the already painful symptoms.
What Sets SkinHappy’s Solution Series Apart From Others on the Market?
Most serums purchased from a store have little regulation of handling and distributing, meaning we never really know their shelf life or how effective the retinoid molecule is upon application.
This can make the product ineffective with deactivated retinoid or possibly a product that is too harsh in concentration for your skin's tolerance to retinoid.
This is why your skin NEEDS a product that is safe for regular use with proven results. SkinHappy’s revolutionary Solution Serum Series works to normalize pigmentation like any other retinoid or retinol product on the market, expediting the process of shedding dead skin cells containing pigment.
Our patent-pending solution is the FIRST to take the retinoid molecule and create 7 different leveled strengths of retinoid, intended for safe and easy use for ALL Ages.
This gentle, yet neutralizing quality is what makes Skin Happy's Solution Serum Series a great match for anyone dealing with pigmentation, discoloration, or sun damage - With proven results from SkinHappy patients.
As the product is used and tolerance is built, your skin will become more comfortable with a retinoid topical, leading to a variety of health and appearance benefits.
Patients will generally ‘level up’ upon completion of each bottle.
This is not necessary, but will only help to increase your skin's tolerability to the retinoid molecule. Given your specific pigmentation problem, you may need to pair our Retinoid Repair solution in conjunction with other products to see the desired results.
Trying low-to-high-range tretinoin or maybe an at-home revitalizing peel can help to achieve clear skin with even pigmentation. To best combat pigmentation, pair the Retinoid Repair solution with our SkinHappy C++ Antioxidant Serum.
After just 3 months on SkinHappy Retinoid Repair, many begin to see dramatic changes and results in their skin pigmentation and texture.
This solution is a life-changing product that is unlike any other retinoid-based serum on the market now. See how SkinHappy can help you face the world with confidence by neutralizing facial pigmentation and so much more!
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