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Microdermabrasion for Hyperpigmentation

Close up of woman's face as beautician checks her skin condition

A few factors contribute to the cause of hyperpigmentation. This includes common causes such as the appearance of freckles – which are genetically-inclined and may also disappear during your adolescent lifetime; overproduction of melanin caused by skin pigment-product cells (or melanocytes); hormonal imbalance from months of pregnancy, and melasma. These spots are patches of slightly darker skin (light brown compared to your original skin color), which causes you to have an uneven skin tone. 

Sun damage can also be related to hyperpigmentation or what you call them as liver spots. While older people tend to get this more frequently than others, it does not mean people of younger age don’t get them. 

Microdermabrasion used for hyperpigmentation is a highly recommended treatment for their uses and also long-term results on all skin tones. Although you have other skin lighteners treatment options such as chemical peels and laser treatments to treat skin pigmentation, microdermabrasion is less harsh on the skin.

For treatments like radio frequency that stimulates the blood flow for the healing process – although it’s one of the most natural procedures to lighten the appearance of dark spots, it is very cost-consuming.

In other words, microdermabrasion treatment is less harsh on the skin because it does not make use of harmful chemicals – but a safer water-soluble ingredient such as glycolic acid that does not cause tissue damage; has a faster healing process to recover after the procedure, and could be one of the cheapest treatment in the market.

Hyperpigmentation as freckles on the face

Types of Hyperpigmentation

Melasma

Hormonal changes that take center stage during pregnancy cause melasma. Although hyperpigmentation appears mostly on the face and stomach areas, know that you may still get dark spots in almost any part of the body as well. 

Sunspots

People usually refer to sunspots as liver spots or solar lentigines caused by sun damage. They are also very common. In general, they can appear as age spots on parts like your hands and your face. In general, you can see them when you overexpose yourself under the sun – which is the primary cause of melanin production that results in the darkening of the skin.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, on the other hand, is the result of skin inflammation and getting injured. One of the origins of this condition is acne. 

Benefits Of Microdermabrasion Used For Hyperpigmentation

  • Quick treatment – As the procedure removed the topmost layer of the skin, you can see results within a few days or weeks. During the treatment process, it will lighten the skin, which is why you should have these treatments repeatedly over a recommended timeline.

  • Creates new, fresher, and better layers – Microdermabrasion works to develop new skin after replacing the ones that used to exist on the surface but got removed. One of the at home microdermabrasion benefits and results is having all the skin layers without seeing the dead skin flaking off your body and face every day. The healthier, good-looking skin will reduce the chances of seeing the spots and the scars returning.

  • Stimulates collagen production – With these procedures, collagen production on your face and body is stimulated. As you know, collagen provides strength for the skin and helps them support and work with each other in the best way possible. Aside from providing beneficial skin treatment for hyperpigmentation, when collagen production is stimulated, it also helps to treat other conditions such as blackheads, fine lines, acne scars, and stretch marks.

How Is The Microdermabrasion Procedure Done For Hyperpigmentation?

Before the long-lasting results, using the medical microdermabrasion treatments – either with facial products or at-home machines available, will shoot aluminum oxide [1] crystals on the skin surfaces. Thereby, it deeply removes the debris, such as dead skin cells. 

Then, the device vacuums up the crystal (alongside the loose dead and dull skin). The treatments can even last for just within an hour, plus it is in every way possible – also very painless. 

For you to be able to see the good outcomes from the treatment plan, you need to use the device regularly – or go back to the dermatologist clinic to complete at least five sessions in order to treat the pigmentation on your skin. Depending on the density of the marks or spots, the ideal number of treatment sessions for pigmentation is every week. 

The maximum number of treatment sessions you should go for is 16. If you suffer from uneven skin tone, you will need no more than 16 microdermabrasion treatments. You may also even see extending the gap between each treatment every 14 days.

The Aftermath: What To Expect

After the microdermabrasion treatments, either from at-home products or facial clinic devices, expect your skin to be more sensitive for a day or so. Ensure that you avoid sun exposure and apply sunscreen whenever you need to head outdoors. Do not scratch your skin to avoid the reoccurrence of acne, dark spots, or the scars coming back.

On top of that, you may also notice and see your skin drying out. These either appear on your faces or other areas of the body. Once this happens, you may get help by applying skincare moisturizers and use them to counteract the dehydration of the skin. Those who have used moisturizers after microdermabrasion treatments liked the positive results they received. 

The entire treatment is relatively harmless and shouldn’t give you any more skin trouble. However, if you are suffering from sensitive skin, know that you can always ask for help and advice from the dermatologist before undergoing the treatments.

Woman undergoing microdermabrasion procedure

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for hyperpigmentation to fade?

For hyperpigmentation to fade, it may take up to 24 months. It also largely depends on the type of hyperpigmentation you have – for example, post-inflammatory types tend to take a longer time to fade fully. However, for minor hyperpigmentation skin, it may take about 3 months or so to fade. 

The darkness of the spots – or rather, the higher the contrast of the pigmentation compared to your natural skin tone affects the time it takes to fade. The rationale behind searching for the best microdermabrasion treatment is to find the help that best suits the type of issues you want to treat. And this includes problems – not only for dark spots treatment but also for acne.

Does exfoliation get rid of hyperpigmentation?

Yes, exfoliation can get rid of hyperpigmentation. Traditionally, people have been using exfoliation treatment for the skin to help diminish dead and hardened cells that can clog pores. 

However, you would want to avoid using exfoliants that contain chemicals. As much as these chemical-based exfoliants can help to remove dark skin cells in the outer layers, they may also cause adverse side effects that you don’t want. Thus, you would want to go for natural exfoliants to lighten your hyperpigmentation skin.

How many microdermabrasion treatments does it take to see results?

It takes about an average of six to ten microdermabrasion treatments to see results. These sets of routines should be distributed evenly with about 7 to 14 days apart from each other. 

Conclusion

Preventing, or at least mitigating the adverse effects of hyperpigmentation, is possible. Among the steps you can implement is applying sunscreen with an SPF level of at least 30. 

You should also practice wearing hats and clothing that can block sunlight and harmful UV rays – or try to avoid the sun anytime from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. worldwide. On the side note, you might also want to avoid taking medications that may worsen your hyperpigmentation.

To reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation, you can consider exploring the uses of suitable microdermabrasion treatments without the risk of skin damage caused by harmful chemicals. Other skin treatments such as chemical peel, and laser treatment are often used to reduce skin hyperpigmentation as well – but they are oftentimes harsher on the skin as compared to microdermabrasion.

Bid farewell to the ill-effects of hyperpigmentation with a treatment that goes deep down the layers. With microdermabrasion treatment, it introduces new skin cells for you – so you can expect to see visible results.