Having trouble with your skin lately? Is it being plagued with stubborn dark spots or discoloration patches that just won’t fade away? Millions of you are challenged with hyperpigmentation and in essence it’s just the excess production of melanin that creates darkness in your skin.

Can this over production of melanin be corrected?  Yes, but it will take diligent use of the right black skin care products and time to see results. One of the biggest factors that contribute to hyperpigmentation is  the sun.  I know, I know, you feel that because you’re covered in this richness of chocolate skin that you’re protected from the sun and its rays.  It ain’t necessarily so or better spoken  … Not Necessarily.

You’re so beautiful and in your beauty you can often take your rich bronzed complexion for granted.  Do you wear any type of sun protectors when you’re out and about?  I know there’s controversy as to whether or not you should wear sunscreens on a daily basis, if you have a problem with it, wear it every other day.  At least wear a hat to shield your face from the sun.

A lot of you are accustomed to wearing baby oil, olive oil and coconut oils on your skin.  With the suns intense activity these days, these oils can often contribute to the burning of your skin.  They are not the same oils, with the same ingredients that we used to know to work for our skin.

Here are some other factors that contribute to hyperpigmentation.

Medications – Go figure!  We all know that a shift in hormones can cause hyperpigmentation to form on your skin.  Birth control and hormone replacement therapy are contributing factors to skin discoloration.  Some antibiotics and medications used to treat cancer and heart disease can cause dark patches or increased sensitivity to the sun.

Sunscreen – Not sunscreen itself but the fact that you don’t wear it at all or sparingly is contributing to skin discoloration is darker skin tones.  Because your skin absorbs UV rays, the rays produce excess melanin and is deposited in your skin.

Disease – One of the biggest challenges in the African American community is Diabetes.  One of the side effects of diabetes is hyperpigmentation.  You’ll find dark spots or other areas of skin discoloration on your neck, behind your knees, inside your arm at the bend of your elbow or on other parts of your body.

Lasers and Chemical peels –  These treatments can cause inflammation. The results might be brown patches or stripes on your skin.

Population changes – I love this one.  I saw this in a trade magazine and it states  “the fact that more people are living in the U.S. than ever before with darker skin tones are likely to have hyperpigmentation. And that hyperpigmentation is more likely to appear in darker skin because of the pigment-producing cells in your skin.”

While the statement is true on both accounts, it also means that there will be lots of people trying to “help” you with your skin discoloration with products that are not necessarily made with ingredients that will be good for your skin.

How to you keep your skin free of dark spots and discoloration?

Believe it or not, the darker your skin the more prone to skin discolorations you are.  But other factors contribute to this condition as well.  Nutrition is important in the care and clearness of your skin.

•    Eat healthy skin foods. The more clean and green foods you feed your body the better your complexion will be.

•    Use a sunscreen when you’re out and about in the intense hours of the sun

•    And the better the choice of products you use on your skin topically the better is will look as well.

We all want a clear and even complexion, so begin your day with a basic skin care regimen for your beautiful black skin.  Eat foods that will nourish your skin, wear hats and sunscreens that will protect it from the sun and enjoy your beauty.

Dedicated To Your Beauty!

Juliette Samuel
Aesthetician/Author/Publisher
Nyraju Skin Care