hy·per (adj \ˈhī-pər\): 1.) high-strung, excitable. 2.) extremely active.

Hyperkinetic. Hyperexcitable. Hyperactive. I have to admit that any term prefaced with the word “hyper-“ makes me a little nervous. I start having flashbacks to a terrifying incident at my friend’s daughter’s birthday party where I was literally trapped in a bouncy-house with a bunch of 6 year-olds hopped up on sugar and completely incapable of non-movement - it wasn’t pretty. Which is why today we will follow through on last weeks dialogue on sunspots, freckles and generalized blotchiness… you know… hyperpigmentation.



Since we now know how to spot, sort and categorize all of the little (and I use this word loosly) ‘imperfections’, let’s talk bullets. Magic bullets. As in an assortment of go-to ingredients that have proven themselves effective in fighting this – the good fight.

As far as magic bullets go - there are a number of tried and true ingredients in the form of lighteners that work wonders in erasing areas with extra pigmentation. Hydroquinone (we’re all friends here… let’s call it HQ) inhibits the enzyme that essentially turns on your skin’s melanin-production switch, shutting down melanin-producing cells. According to dozens of studies, HQ bleaches out brown spottiness, especially when combined with glycolic acid or retinoid – which increase HQ’s penetration and help remove those pesky pigmented surface cells.

This magic bullet however, should only be applied to its target. According to the founder of New York Dermatology David Colbert, M.D., HQ is generally recommended only for treating specific sunspots, PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) marks and melasma – so don’t go slathering this all over your facial zone.

It’s also generally recommended that you limit the use of HQ (I know, I know… who likes limitations) to three months as HQ’s magic might damage melanocytes (the aforementioned enzymes) in the long term. (*sigh… on more knock out punch for the virtues of moderation.) As with all prescription medications – do your research and talk to your derm.

Not ready for a visit to your derm, yet still feeling the blotchy blues? There are any number of preventative and reversing products that don’t require a Ph.D. to dole out that actually… ahem… work. Just traipse on down to your local beauty boutique (a.k.a. the drugstore) and watch in wonder as a world of cosmetic cures opens up in front of you. Confused? Us too. So we looked to our handy friend RESEARCH for a little support. Here’s what to look for:

1.) One or both of the following ingredients proven to erase pigment: N-acetyl glucosamine (calm down, it’s just a sugar) and undecylenoyl phenylalanine. The unpronounceable later, undecylenoyl phenylalanine is an amino acid that blocks a melanocyte-stimulating hormone (it’s also known as the much easier to say, remember and spell Sepiwhite.) The former, N-acetyl glucosamine inhibits an enzyme necessary to melanin production. Think of these two bad boys as the two major players in your effort to banish blotchiness.

2.) Additionally, over-the-counter lighteners are well on their way to putting a little competitive pressure on ol’ HQ. Take a look for one or more of the following on your products label and rejoice is you find: arbutin, azelaic acid, bearberry extract, Dianella ensifolia extract, Ellagic acid, Emblica-fruit extract, Idebenone, Kojic acid, Licorice-root extract, Methyl dihydroxybenzoate, Mulberry-leaf extract, Phynylethyl resorcinol, or Vitamin C (we’d like to thank May 2011 Self magazine for this head-spinning list of ingredients.)

3.) Of course a little drop of super-buffers like glycolic, lactic or salicylic acid never hurt anyone either. Adding a course of this to your daily routine will help clear away dead cells for easier product penetration just generalized sloughing off of pigmented surface cells. Magical mushroom extract Trametes versicolor also helps to break up extra melanin lingering in surface cells – just an FYI.

If a lack of patience or just a bigger case of the spotties or blotchies than you would care to admit make a visit to your derm a necessity, rest assured that their arsenal of whitening weapons is much, much, much bigger and more sophisticated (lasers) than yours (topical treatments).

If you’re just haunted by the morning mocking of a few defined brown marks or freckly bits, ask your derm about the Q-switched laser. Neil Sadick, M.D. and founder of Sadick Dermatology in NYC explains, “Excess melanin absorbs the thermal energy [of the Q-switched laser]. The heat breaks it up and makes it disappear.” (Magic!) The rub is the possibility of getting a little scabby at the treatment area – but a few days and about $100 per treatment area – you’ll be as good as new. Well… maybe a little better.

If all-over pigmentation is your problem, Dr. Sadick recommends the newest in factional lasers, the Fraxel restore Dual (Wow!) which boasts not one, but two wavelengths (Oooo!... Wait. What does that mean?) The good doc explains, “one [wavelength] that penetrates the epidermis where most melanin activity takes place, and one that goes deeper into the dermis where more severe pigmentation lives.” Sure you might look a little over-cooked for a few days, but within a week or so, your skin will look much more even-toned and healthy.

I’ll say it again. Magic! M-A-G-I-C.