Hyper-pigmentation and Dark Spots on Legs

This is a very personal post for me and was debating as to whether or not to share it. But I'm sure people can relate to this.  So here it goes...


After this long, cold and harsh winter in New York, I am so ready for  spring and summer! Although I adore these seasons,with it comes the fact that I have to show skin- especially the skin on my legs.

Since I was a child I have been plagued with dark spots on my legs and arms (more so on my legs) from mosquito bites! Getting a mosquito bite causes the hyper pigmentation on my skin and i'm left with an unsightly dark spot(s).  Therefore, getting ready for warmer temperatures left me wanting to hide and keep on long items of clothing.  With maturity, I learned to love myself and accept my flaws but still work to improve them. And so, I'd like to share with you some information on hyper pigmentation and dark spots, with steps to remedy them.


Hyper pigmentation is the darkening of the skin or nails caused by increased melanin. Melanin is a broad term for a group of natural pigments.


Dark spots, put simply, acne or any type of inflammatory trauma to the skin can lead to excess production of melanin which causes post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation dark spots.

So how can we minimize or lighten the appearance of dark spots on our legs caused from mosquito bites?

Figure 1.0 -(web image)

After this long, cold and harsh winter in New York, I am so ready for  spring and summer! Although I adore these seasons,with it comes the fact that I have to show skin- especially the skin on my legs.

Since I was a child I have been plagued with dark spots on my legs and arms (more so on my legs) from mosquito bites! Getting a mosquito bite causes the hyper pigmentation on my skin and i'm left with an unsightly dark spot(s).  Therefore, getting ready for warmer temperatures left me wanting to hide and keep on long items of clothing.  With maturity, I learned to love myself and accept my flaws but still work to improve them. And so, I'd like to share with you some information on hyper pigmentation and dark spots, with steps to remedy them.


Hyper pigmentation is the darkening of the skin or nails caused by increased melanin. Melanin is a broad term for a group of natural pigments.


Dark spots, put simply, acne or any type of inflammatory trauma to the skin can lead to excess production of melanin which causes post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation dark spots.

So how can we minimize or lighten the appearance of dark spots on our legs caused from mosquito bites?

Follow these tips -

Correcting the Dark Spots

If you couldn’t resist the urge to scratch or had an inflammatory reaction that caused hyperpigmentation spots you can try using lightening ingredients. Some recommend using hydroquinone for fading dark marks, but it can be problematic for skin of color. You can also use treatments specifically created to heal scars like Bio Oil, Mederma, and Scar Zone.

When using fade creams or ingredients to fade marks, only apply the lightening agents to the dark spots. Don’t apply to the unaffected skin.Visiting a dermatologist for a chemical peel is also a great way to remove the layer of skin affected by the dark spots. 

Natural ingredients for Fading Dark Marks

• Vitamin E applied to bite marks helps reduce redness and helps the skin heal.
• Rosehip seed oil helps reduce the discoloration and even out skin tone.
• Licorice is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that also has skin lightening properties.
• Coconut oil can lighten dark marks.
• Tomato exfoliates and lightens the skin.
• Lemons and limes are natural skin lighteners. (Try a Lemon Burst body scurb)
• Papaya helps fade dark spots and even out skin tone. Green papaya can be mixed with lemon or lime juice to help lighten spots.

Precautions

• When applying a substance for lightening spots, leave on for about 10 minutes and then rinse. It could take two to three months for spots to fade.
• Make sure that the topical ointment used is hypoallergenic and won’t cause an allergic reaction and cause further inflammation.
• When using any ingredient, be sure to do a patch test in a small area like the inner elbow to make sure you will not have an allergic reaction, which will only exacerbate the problem.
• Whatever treatment you decide to use, always protect the treated area with sunscreen. Apply sunscreen whenever the area will be exposed to the sun. Sun exposure can make the dark marks worse. In addition some people find that sun exposure also causes a bite to itch again (Source: multiculturalbeauty.about.com).