Uneven Skin Tone: Causes And Treatment

22 Jun 2021 / Posted by clinic skin essence

In today’s world, everyone wants to look good and have an even, bright, radiant complexion. So in this blog, we will discuss uneven skin tone: causes and treatments. 

What is Uneven Skin Tone?

It's an irregular darkening of skin or spotty, patchy, pigmented skin. It can make the skin look dull, aged and lacklustre. Its main cause is the overproduction of melanin: the pigment responsible for skin and hair colour.

What are the causes of uneven skin tone?

• Sun Exposure: The main cause is sun damage. Prolonged sun exposure can cause tanning, brown spots, dullness of skin and premature ageing. There are three types of ultraviolet rays; UV A, B and C.
  UVA rays are present in the morning time. These are responsible for Immediate Pigment Darkening as well as premature ageing and wrinkles. UVB rays are present at noontime and can cause sunburns, delayed tanning (after 2 to 3 days) and skin cancers. So, sun exposure and not using sunscreens can cause uneven skin tone.

• Pollution: Particles and gases can penetrate the skin and cause brown spots and pigmentation

• Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation: Active acne, skin injury or harsh skincare products can leave behind spots and marks on the skin leading to dull or patchy skin which looks very uneven. Thus, consult your dermatologist to treat active acne as early as possible. Also, use products that are suitable for your skin type to prevent reactions and skin damage.

• Hormonal Imbalance: Some conditions like melasma can be due to hormonal imbalance. Melasma patches are commonly seen during pregnancy or in women using oral contraceptive pills. These can result in uneven skin tone.

• Role of diet: Diet has a role to play in the causation of conditions like acne and rosacea. High glycemic index foods, fried, processed, sugary snacks can trigger acne and leave behind acne spots. Some people have red, flushed skin with dilated blood vessels; known as rosacea. This is exacerbated by hot, spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol intake. All these can cause the skin to look blotchy and uneven.

• Nutritional Deficiency: Vitamin B 12 deficiency can cause pigmentation especially around the mouth and on the knuckles.

• Insulin Resistance: High calorific value foods and sugar intake can cause a condition known as ACANTHOSIS NIGRICANS. It appears as dark areas of velvety skin on the neck, under the eyes, underarms and groins. This is more common in obese individuals and those with a family history of diabetes.

• Pigmentary Demarcation Lines: These are areas of abrupt transition from hyperpigmented to normal skin colour. They are bilaterally symmetrical areas of hyperpigmentation on the sides of the eyes, around the mouth or under the eyes. This can be present since birth or puberty and darkens later.

What are the lifestyle modifications to prevent or treat uneven skin tone?

We can follow certain measures to get a smooth, even, radiant complexion.

1. Stay Hydrated:Drinking lots of water at least 8 to 10 glasses of water can do wonders for your skin. External, as well as internal hydration, is required for a healthy plump even skin tone. The use of suitable good quality moisturizers is a must to soothe the skin, relieve dryness, itching and redness.
2. Sunscreen: Use a broad spectrum non-comedogenic sunscreen twice a day to prevent age spots, tanning pigmentation and fine lines. Sunscreen has to be applied even when you are indoors because the rays from your laptop screens, LED lights and mobile phones can also cause pigmentation in the long run. Sunscreen should be applied at least 15 to 20 minutes before stepping out of the house.
3. Food and drinks: Avoid sugary snacks, junk, fried, processed foods. Maintain a healthy lifestyle to prevent breakouts and spots. You can consume vitamin C rich foods such as oranges, guava, strawberries and lemon juice as vitamin C is good for a clear radiant complexion.

What are the treatment options for uneven skin tone?

At Clinic Skin Essence, we provide some of the best pigmentation treatments in Delhi that work wonders for uneven skin tone. 

There are certain prescription creams to treat spots and patches. These creams contain ingredients like kojic acid, arbutin, licorice, azelaic acid and glycolic acid. Stubborn pigmentation can be tackled with hydroquinone creams.

Some procedures also help in improving the patches and spots of uneven skin tone.

1. Chemical peels: This refers to a controlled resurfacing of the skin to achieve better glowing skin. There are various peels available according to the requirement of your skin e.g. salicylic, glycolic, trichloroacetic acid, retinol, lactic peels and many more. These peels gently exfoliate the upper layers of the skin to treat spots, tanning, pigmentation and fine lines.
2. Laser toning: Q switched Nd YAG laser treatment is very popular these days to give an instantly brighter and clear skin. This treatment selectively targets the pigment-producing cells and results in a visible reduction in spots and patches. This laser toning treatment is also good for pre-wedding or any pre-event rejuvenation.
3. Microdermabrasion: In this treatment, we use a probe studded with fine diamond crystals to gently polish the skin. This is followed by a mild suction-assisted exfoliation. This removes the superficial dead layer of skin to reveal a smoother plump even-toned skin.
4. Vampire facial: Thisinnovative treatment uses your body‘s own growth factors for collagen induction. The patient’s own serum is harvested to yield some vital growth factors. These are then applied to the skin using microneedles to intensify your own collagen production. This causes an even, smooth, flawless complexion after repeated sessions.

So, do consult our dermatologists Dr. Anu Kapoor and Dr. Parmil Kumar Sharma at Clinic Skin Essence (East Patel Nagar) if you are looking for the best pigmentation treatment in Delhi. Uneven skin tone can be treated to get better, radiant, and healthy skin!