3 Tips for Battling Hyperpigmentation in the Summer & Beyond

While we all bask in our beautiful melanin-infused skin, I’m sure there’s one thing we don’t love – hyperpigmentation. When it comes to scarring and our deeper skin tones, our extra pigmentation causes scars to appear in colors that are one, two, or even three shades darker than our skin tone. How do we get rid of these marks that can appear on our bodies, or even worse, our face? Check out these four tips to battling hyperpigmentation and clearing up your beautiful skin!

Use Sunscreen

One rule that black people seem to follow is that they don’t need sunscreen. First and foremost, that’s a myth! Everyone needs sunscreen. Most people of color will think this because we don’t burn in the sun, and while that may be true, sunscreen is still a necessity. While our friends of fairer complexions will use sunscreen to prevent them from burning, sunscreen will not only help to protect your skin, but stop the areas of hyperpigmentation from getting darker as your skin gets darker!

Cover Areas of Hyperpigmentation

In conjunction with using sunscreen, covering up your areas of hyperpigmentation in the summer is a great rule of thumb. If you’re attempting to lighten marks on your arm, wear a light jacket to cover up if you’re planning on being in the direct sunlight. Marks of hyperpigmentation are more noticeable on the face, so if you’re headed out to a place with little to no shade, definitely throw on a hat as an accessory.

Find a Skin Brightener or Spot Corrector

The skincare world is rapidly growing and there are different products and options for all types of issues. For dealing with your hyperpigmentation, try finding a skin brightener (not lightener) that works for you. Skin brighteners are meant to help even out the skin tone and bring the areas of hyperpigmentation back to the original color of the skin. The ease of skin brighteners is that they can be applied all over the face.

If you’re choosing to opt for something a bit stronger, try a spot corrector. These products usually contain a lightening agent in them, but they are only meant to be applied to the direct area of hyperpigmentation. When looking into facial products, it is important to be very careful and seek the direction of a dermatologist before deciding on any products you might have questions about.

While we love our brown skin, sometimes the extra melanin causes issues when it comes to scarring, but most of it can be undone. Battling hyperpigmentation is definitely something that seems more prevalent in the summer when we want to show some skin, but using these tips in the colder months is also a good idea!