Treating Hyperpigmentation
The Pigmentation Process Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
Remember that sun exposure is the strongest and most powerful trigger of hyperpigmentation . Hyperpigmentation cannot be improved unless sun exposure is limited , and skin is protected with a broad-spectrum UVA / UVB sunscreen like Extreme Protect SPF 30 , Extreme Protect SPF 40 , and Eclipse SPF 50 +.
There are 5 steps that take place in the skin during the process of melanogenesis that lead to hyperpigmentation :
Step 1 in the pigment formation process is a “ trigger ” such as UV exposure .
Step 2 is inflammation caused by the trigger . Inflammation is an integral component of the development of hyperpigmentation , so it is critical to minimize this process in the skin when treating pigment disorders . Inflammation stimulates the melanocytes , which leads to ...
Step 3 involves activation of the tyrosinase enzyme within the melanocyte cell . When the skin experiences inflammation , tyrosinase enzymes ( located inside the melanocyte ) activate and act as a catalyst for melanin production inside the melanocyte . During this step , melanin is produced and packaged into melanosomes , the carrying organelles of melanin .
Step 4 occurs when the melanosomes , packed with new melanin , travel from the melanocyte cell through finger-like appendages called dendrites , where they are injected into the neighboring keratinocytes . Keratinocytes are the dominant cell type in the epidermis . The melanosome packets shed away , and the melanin globules move through the keratinocyte .
Step 5 in the process of melanogenesis is the pigmented keratinocytes collecting on the surface of the skin and becoming visible as hyperpigmentation .
32 iS Skin Source