Hyperpigmentation can happen due to sun exposure, pregnancy, or any other health condition. However, the main cause is the presence of the enzyme tyrosinase in the body’s melanin synthesis pathway. You can treat hyperpigmentation with topical products, including glutathione tablets or anti pigmentation serums.
Hyperpigmentation is not necessarily classified as a skin condition. It is a term used to describe when your skin appears darker than normal. It can occur as small patches on the face, or affect all areas of the body. While hyperpigmentation is not harmful, it can cause you to have an uneven skin tone.
In this blog, we will discuss the science behind pigmentation, the causes of hyperpigmentation, and what you can do to treat hyperpigmentation. You can treat hyperpigmentation through nutrition by trying out glutathione tablets or applying topical serums like an anti pigmentation serum.
Read More: Get Rid of Dark Spots
Science Behind Pigmentation
Your skin colour is determined by the amount of melanin you have in the skin (this is known as skin pigmentation). Two main types of melanin give the skin its color, produced by melanocytes in the epidermal layer of the skin. Eumelanin (a brown-black pigment) is responsible for darker skin tones, but pheomelanin (a yellow-red pigment) is responsible for the lighter ones.
Eumelanin protects the skin from sunburn and absorbs UV rays. Darker skin tones are related to higher levels of eumelanin, while lighter skin tones are related to lower levels. Eumelanin has many other benefits, including keeping the skin protected from cancer and keeping the body cool. However, excessive eumelanin is responsible for pigmentation.
The enzyme Tyrosinase in the melanin synthesis pathway is responsible for pigmentation. Tyrosinase converts tyrosine (a low-level amino acid) into DOPA and then into melanin (both eumelanin and pheomelanin). This results in an uneven skin tone.
Read More: Best Face Serums for Healthy Skin
The Role of Glutathione in the Melanin Synthesis Pathway
Glutathione, especially glutathione tablets, plays a role in skin lightening/brightness by inhibiting tyrosinase in the melanin synthesis pathway. By blocking tyrosinase activity, glutathione interferes with the conversion of DOPA (dihydroxyphenylalanine) to melanin precursors, reducing the overall production of melanin including both eumelanin (dark pigment melanin) and pheomelanin (light pigment melanin). Glutathione tablets influence both eumelanin and pheomelanin and help balance pigmentation, supporting a more even complexion.
Also, free radicals, generated due to factors like UV exposure and pollution, can damage skin cells, accelerate aging, and contribute to uneven skin tone. Glutathione tablets, as a potent antioxidant, counteract these free radicals, reducing inflammation and preventing damage to skin cells resulting in even skin tone.
Types of Pigmentation
Two main types of pigmentation cause problems in the body:
Hypopigmentation
In this type of pigmentation, a person’s skin tone becomes lighter, and white patches begin cropping up on the face and body. This can result in conditions like albinism, vitiligo, pityriasis alba and pytriasis veriscolor. Hypopigmentation often needs medical treatment to resolve and glutathione tablets or anti pigmentation serums might not be the best solution.
Hyperpigmentation
In this type of pigmentation, a person’s skin tone becomes darker and dark patches begin cropping up on the face and body. This can result in conditions like melasma, sun spots, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation has a variety of treatments available. Both glutathione tablets and anti pigmentation serums can treat them.
Today, we will dive deeper into hyperpigmentation and see the causes and how to treat this type of pigmentation.
Causes of Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation, the bane of many individuals seeking smooth and even-toned skin, arises from a plethora of factors, each contributing to the discoloration that can mar one’s complexion. Understanding the causes of hyperpigmentation is pivotal in devising effective strategies for its management and prevention.
One primary cause of hyperpigmentation is prolonged sun exposure. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun stimulates the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for skin coloration. While melanin serves as a natural defense mechanism against UV damage, excessive sun exposure can trigger its overproduction, leading to localized patches of hyperpigmentation known as sunspots or solar lentigines.
Additionally, sun exposure exacerbates existing hyperpigmentation, making it imperative to shield the skin with broad-spectrum sunscreen daily.
Hormonal fluctuations represent another significant contributor to hyperpigmentation. Conditions such as melasma, commonly dubbed the “mask of pregnancy,” manifest as symmetrical patches of hyperpigmentation on the face, often triggered by hormonal changes during pregnancy or contraceptive use.
Hormonal imbalances can also stimulate the production of melanin, resulting in persistent discoloration that can prove challenging to address.
Inflammation plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of hyperpigmentation. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) arises as a consequence of skin trauma, such as acne lesions, cuts, or burns. In response to injury, the skin initiates a cascade of inflammatory mediators, including cytokines and growth factors, which can stimulate melanocytes—the pigment-producing cells—to produce excessive melanin, leading to the formation of dark spots or patches.
Genetic predisposition underscores the susceptibility of certain individuals to hyperpigmentation. Ethnicity can influence one’s propensity for developing specific types of hyperpigmentation, such as lentigines in fair-skinned individuals or melasma in those with a higher melanin content.
Genetic variations in melanin synthesis pathways or regulatory genes can also predispose individuals to hyperpigmented disorders, highlighting the complex interplay between genetics and environmental factors in skin pigmentation.
Exacerbating factors such as hormonal fluctuations, certain medications, and lifestyle choices can exacerbate existing hyperpigmentation or predispose individuals to its development. Hormonal contraceptives, for instance, can trigger melasma in susceptible individuals, while certain medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or chemotherapeutic agents may induce drug-induced hyperpigmentation as an adverse effect.
Moreover, lifestyle factors such as smoking, stress, and inadequate skincare practices can exacerbate hyperpigmentation by promoting oxidative stress, inflammation, and impaired skin barrier function.
Can you Prevent Hyperpigmentation?
Now that you have read about this type of pigmentation, you might be wondering if it is possible to prevent hyperpigmentation. No, it is not always possible. However, you can protect yourself from pigmentation by doing the following:
- Using a sunscreen with Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 30. SPF 50 is the ideal tone.
- Wearing hats or caps that block the sunlight and prevent it from hitting your face
- Avoiding going out in the sun when it is the strongest, between 10 am and 4 pm
How to Treat Hyperpigmentation
Addressing hyperpigmentation necessitates a multifaceted approach encompassing sun protection, targeted skincare interventions, and lifestyle modifications. Sunscreen remains paramount in preventing further pigmentation by shielding the skin from harmful UV radiation.
Topical agents containing ingredients such as hydroquinone, retinoids, kojic acid, and vitamin C can inhibit melanin synthesis, promote cellular turnover, and mitigate inflammation, thereby reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation. Procedures such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion, laser therapy, and intense pulsed light (IPL) can further complement topical treatments by targeting pigmented lesions and promoting skin rejuvenation.
You can treat hyperpigmentation with glutathione tablets and anti pigmentation serums. Let us tell you how.
Glutathione Tablets for Hyperpigmentation
Oral medications like glutathione tablets are a potent and effective way of treating skin conditions like pigmentation.
Glutathione (GSH) is a strong antioxidant present in our body. Glutathione is a tripeptide made up of three amino acids i.e. L- Glutamic acid, Cysteine, and Glycine. Glutathione is capable of preventing damage to important cellular components caused by reactive oxygen species such as free radicals, peroxides, lipid peroxides, and heavy metals.
Glutathione tablets help our skin in many ways like:
1) Reduces oxidative stress
Oxidative stress occurs when there’s an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the body’s ability to fight them off. Too high levels of oxidative stress may be a precursor to multiple diseases. This leads to skin problems like patchy skin, hyperpigmentation, and uneven skin tone. Glutathione tablets help in reducing oxidative stress by minimizing damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS).
2) Skin Brightening & Glow
Melanin, a skin pigment, consists of blackish-brown eumelanin and reddish-yellow pheomelanin. Higher pheomelanin proportion will make skin brighter. Hyperpigmentation (excessive pigmentation or dark spots) is caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation, resulting in the formation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species between cells. Oral antioxidants will reduce melanogenesis by suppressing those free radicals.
You can try OZiva Plant Based Glutathione Builder for pigmentation. These glutathione tablets contain two unique blends to naturally build and retain glutathione in the body.
- Glutathione Builder Blend: This blend in these glutathione tablets includes proven precursors (NAC and ALA) for glutathione which will regenerate the glutathione in our cells. These precursors will convert amino acids into glutathione in the cells.
- Glutathione Retention Blend: This blend in these glutathione tablets will help in retaining the glutathione by preventing its enzymatic degradation. The blend includes vitamins that will help to reduce the formation of the enzyme glutathione reductase and which leads to retention of glutathione in the body.
This blend also has selenium that helps to the formation of the glutathione S-transferase enzyme which is the main enzyme that converts amino acids into glutathione. This blend also comprises standardized herbal extracts (Grape Seed extract and Tetrahydrocurcuminoids) that will help to produce other antioxidants apart from glutathione. This will help in maintaining the ROS and antioxidant ratio in our skin.
Read More: Glutathione Tablets Benefits & Uses
Anti Pigmentation Serums for Hyperpigmentation
Topical anti pigmentation serums or creams are the most common approach to try. You can apply it directly to the affected area and they can be used to lighten or darken the skin.
The main advantage of topical anti pigmentation serums is that you do not have to visit the doctor. They might also be a less expensive option than oral medications like glutathione tablets.
Another solution you can try for hyperpigmentation is the OZiva Absolut Even Anti Pigmentation Serum. It is a 100% clean anti pigmentation serum that contains the goodness of plant-based extracts like Phyto Niacinamide (Tulsi Extract) and Aloe Vera. It takes care of dark spots in the following way:
- Manages hyperpigmentation – This anti pigmentation serum prevents the occurrence of hyperpigmentation in the skin with Phyto Alpha Arbutin (Bearberry Extract) and helps reduce existing pigmentation with White Peony Extract.
- Spot Correction: This anti pigmentation serum helps diminish dark spots on the face with Aloe Vera Extract. These dark spots can grow due to reasons like overexposure to the sun, ageing or any previous scarring, and are difficult to get rid of otherwise.
Natural Plant Treatments for Pigmentation
Other than trying out glutathione tablets or applying an anti pigmentation serum, you might also want to try out natural pigmentation treatments. Many plants are a secure and effective way to treat hyperpigmentation.
Natural plant treatments for pigmentation offer a holistic approach to addressing skin concerns without resorting to harsh chemicals or invasive procedures. Vitamins A, B, E & C address pigmentation and are necessary for healthy skin.
One of the most well-known natural remedies for pigmentation is aloe vera. Aloe vera contains compounds that can inhibit tyrosinase activity, the enzyme responsible for melanin production. Additionally, its anti-inflammatory properties help soothe irritated skin and reduce redness associated with pigmentation. Applying fresh aloe vera gel directly to pigmented areas or using skincare products containing aloe vera extract can help fade dark spots over time.
Another plant-based ingredient renowned for its skin-brightening properties is licorice root extract. Licorice root contains glabridin, a compound that inhibits pigmentation by blocking tyrosinase activity and reducing melanin production. Incorporating skincare products containing licorice root extract can help even out skin tone and lighten dark spots gradually.
Turmeric, a vibrant yellow spice commonly used in cooking, also offers potent anti-pigmentation benefits. Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce melanin production and inhibit the formation of dark spots. Applying a turmeric face mask or using skincare products containing turmeric extract can help brighten the complexion and fade pigmentation over time.
In addition to these plant-based treatments, incorporating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and antioxidants can support overall skin health and reduce pigmentation from within. Foods such as berries, citrus fruits, leafy greens, and nuts contain vitamins and nutrients that help combat oxidative stress, promote collagen production, and maintain an even skin tone.
While natural plant treatments for pigmentation can be effective, it’s essential to use them consistently and in conjunction with sun protection measures such as wearing sunscreen daily and avoiding prolonged sun exposure. Additionally, individual results may vary, and it’s always a good idea to consult with a dermatologist or skincare professional before starting any new treatment regimen, especially if you have sensitive skin or underlying medical conditions. With patience and a holistic approach, natural plant treatments can help you achieve a brighter, more even complexion and boost your confidence in your skin’s natural beauty.
Last modified: February 9, 2024
