HYPERPIGMENTATION LAYERING

Summary

In this informative skincare video, Dr. V, a cosmetic formulator and doctor, addresses the challenges of treating hyperpigmentation, particularly in skin of color. She shares her personal experience with melasma and provides a comprehensive morning and evening skincare routine using The Ordinary products, focusing on ingredients like squalane, glycerin, Alpha Arbutin, Vitamin C, and niacinamide. Dr. V emphasizes the importance of a hydrating environment for effective treatment, the role of sunscreen in preventing pigmentation triggers, and offers a cost-effective routine for tackling stubborn hyperpigmentation.

Takeaways

• 😀 Hyperpigmentation, such as melasma, can begin as small freckle-like spots and spread across the face if not treated properly.
• 🌞 Sunscreen is crucial for preventing the spread of hyperpigmentation, as UV damage can trigger melanocytes to produce more melanin.
• 🧪 Many products on the market may not be effective for hyperpigmentation, especially for skin of color, due to low percentages of active ingredients.
• 💡 The speaker, a cosmetic formulator and doctor, created a channel to address the specific skincare needs of skin of color, including hyperpigmentation.
• 🚿 Morning skincare routines should start with a gentle, hydrating cleanser like Squalane to maintain a healing environment for the skin.
• 🧴 Alpha Arbutin is a key ingredient for treating hyperpigmentation as it inhibits the tyrosinase enzyme, reducing melanin production.
• 🍋 Vitamin C, specifically Ascorbyl Glucoside 12%, is recommended for its less irritating properties compared to Ascorbic Acid.
• 💦 A thick moisturizer with ingredients like ceramides is essential to hydrate and plump skin cells, reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation.
• 🌞 A broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 50 and PA++++ is vital to block UVA and UVB rays, preventing further pigmentation.
• 🌙 Evening routines should also prioritize cleansing to remove makeup, pollution, and UV exposure from the day.
• 🛒 The total cost of the recommended routine from The Ordinary is £45, offering an affordable approach to treating hyperpigmentation.

Q & A

What is hyperpigmentation and why is it challenging to treat?

Hyperpigmentation is a condition where patches of skin become darker in color than the surrounding skin. It's challenging to treat because it often results from an overproduction of melanin, triggered by UV damage or inflammation, and can spread across the face if not properly managed.

What is melasma and how did the speaker's mother identify it on her?

Melasma is a type of hyperpigmentation that typically appears on the cheeks, forehead, and upper lip. The speaker's mother recognized it by its appearance as opposed to freckles, and warned her about the potential for it to spread across her face without proper treatment.

Why do melanocytes produce more melanin in response to UV damage?

Melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin, are triggered by UV damage to produce more melanin as a protective response. This increased melanin production can lead to the formation of hyperpigmentation.

What is the role of tyrosinase in the production of melanin?

Tyrosinase is an enzyme necessary for the production of melanin. By inhibiting tyrosinase, the rate of melanin production and thus hyperpigmentation can be reduced.

Why are some products on the market ineffective for treating hyperpigmentation?

Some products are ineffective because they may contain a low percentage of active ingredients, which are not sufficient to treat hyperpigmentation, especially for skin of color that often requires higher concentrations of actives without causing irritation.

What is the significance of using a moisturizer that is hydrating enough in the skincare routine for hyperpigmentation?

A well-hydrated skin environment is crucial for the effectiveness of active ingredients. A moisturizer that is hydrating enough helps to plump up the skin cells, reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation by creating space between cells loaded with melanin.

Why is sunscreen essential in the treatment of hyperpigmentation?

Sunscreen is essential as it blocks the UV triggers that can exacerbate hyperpigmentation. Without proper UV protection, the skin is more susceptible to further melanin production and the spread of hyperpigmentation.

What is the recommended morning skincare routine for treating hyperpigmentation according to the script?

The recommended morning routine includes cleansing with a hydrating cleanser, applying a tyrosinase inhibitor like Alpha Arbutin, using a Vitamin C derivative, moisturizing with a thicker moisturizer that may contain ceramides, and applying a broad-spectrum SPF 50 PA++++ sunscreen.

What is the role of niacinamide in the skincare routine mentioned in the script?

Niacinamide serves as a tyrosinase inhibitor, helping to reduce the rate of melanin production. It can also be mixed with moisturizers to achieve a balance between hydration and concentration of active ingredients.

What is the cost of the skincare routine recommended by the speaker for treating hyperpigmentation?

The total cost of the recommended routine is approximately £45, which includes products like Granactive Retinoid, NMF, a cleanser, Niacinamide, Vitamin C, and Alpha Arbutin.

What is the alternative product the speaker created for those with stubborn hyperpigmentation that doesn't respond to the drugstore routine?

For stubborn hyperpigmentation, the speaker created a facial hyperpigmentation kit containing all 10 tyrosinase inhibitors, offering a stronger alternative to the drugstore products.

Outlines

00:00

😷 Understanding and Treating Hyperpigmentation

The speaker, who had early onset melasma, discusses the challenges of treating hyperpigmentation. They explain that melasma starts as freckles on the cheekbones, often mistaken for cute spots, but can spread across the face if not treated properly with sunscreen. Hyperpigmentation is caused by melanocytes, the cells producing melanin, which are triggered by UV damage. The speaker emphasizes the importance of using products specifically formulated for skin of color and introduces their channel, which is dedicated to providing advice on treating hyperpigmentation for people with skin of color. They also mention the ineffectiveness of many products on the market due to low percentages of active ingredients and the need for higher percentages without skin irritation.

05:00

🧪 Skincare Routine for Hyperpigmentation

This paragraph outlines a detailed skincare routine for treating hyperpigmentation. It starts with a morning cleanse using Squalane Cleanser from The Ordinary, which is hydrating and important for maintaining a healing environment. The routine includes the use of Alpha Arbutin as a tyrosinase inhibitor to reduce melanin production, Vitamin C for less irritation, and a thicker moisturizer with NMF to hydrate and create a plumping effect on skin cells. The speaker also discusses the importance of sunscreen with SPF 50 PA++++ to block UV triggers and mentions their own mineral sunscreen creation. The evening routine involves cleansing, using Vitamin A (Granactive Retinoid), Niacinamide for its anti-irritant properties, and a moisturizer. The cost of the entire routine is calculated, and the speaker suggests trying the routine for six months to see results.

10:01

💰 Investing in Effective Hyperpigmentation Treatments

The final paragraph discusses the cost-effectiveness of the proposed skincare routine, which totals £450, and positions it as a more affordable option compared to professional treatments that can cost upwards of £500 to £1,000. The speaker acknowledges that after six months, if the routine does not show results, it may be necessary to consider stronger treatments, such as a facial hyperpigmentation kit containing all 10 tyrosine inhibitors. They offer a free guide on their website and encourage viewers to subscribe and ask questions for further assistance.

Keywords

💡Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation refers to the darkening of the skin, often appearing as patches or uneven coloring, caused by an excess of melanin production. In the video, it is the main skin condition being discussed, with the speaker sharing personal experience and providing a comprehensive skincare routine to address it.

💡Melasma

Melasma is a specific type of hyperpigmentation characterized by brown or gray-brown patches on the face, often on the cheeks, forehead, and upper lip. The video mentions melasma as the speaker's personal condition and uses it as an example to explain the development and spread of hyperpigmentation.

💡Melanocytes

Melanocytes are the cells in the skin responsible for producing melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color. The video explains how UV damage can trigger melanocytes to produce more melanin, leading to hyperpigmentation, using the analogy of a balloon to illustrate the process.

💡Sunscreen

Sunscreen is a skincare product that protects the skin from the harmful effects of the sun's UV rays. The video emphasizes the importance of sunscreen in preventing the spread of hyperpigmentation by blocking the UV triggers that can activate melanocytes.

💡Alpha Arbutin

Alpha Arbutin is a skincare ingredient known for its ability to inhibit the enzyme tyrosinase, which is necessary for melanin production. In the video, Alpha Arbutin is recommended as part of a morning skincare routine to help reduce the rate of hyperpigmentation.

💡Vitamin C

Vitamin C, specifically in the form of Ascorbyl Glucoside 12% as mentioned in the video, is an antioxidant that can help brighten the skin and reduce hyperpigmentation. It is recommended as part of the skincare routine to combat the effects of UV damage.

💡Niacinamide

Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that has been shown to have skin benefits such as reducing inflammation and hyperpigmentation. The video suggests using niacinamide in combination with other products to achieve a balance between effectiveness and skin tolerance.

💡Moisturizer

A moisturizer is a skincare product used to hydrate and soften the skin. The video highlights the importance of using a moisturizer that is hydrating enough to create a healing environment for the skin, which can also help reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation.

💡Ceramides

Ceramides are lipids that are a major component of the skin's barrier and help to retain moisture. The video mentions that people with skin of color may have less ceramides naturally, making them an important ingredient to include in moisturizers for such skin types.

💡Retinoid

Retinoids, specifically the Granactive Retinoid mentioned in the video, are derivatives of vitamin A that can help with skin cell turnover and are often used to treat hyperpigmentation. The video recommends using a retinoid as part of an evening skincare routine.

💡Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen

Broad-spectrum sunscreen provides protection against both UVA and UVB rays. The video stresses the need for a sunscreen with an SPF 50 PA4+ rating to ensure full protection against UVA rays, which can contribute to skin aging and hyperpigmentation.

Highlights

Hyperpigmentation, such as melasma, is challenging to treat and can begin with small freckles that spread across the face.

Melanocytes, the cells producing melanin, can be triggered by UV damage leading to hyperpigmentation.

Skin of color is more susceptible to hyperpigmentation due to larger melanocytes.

Many products on the market may not be effective for hyperpigmentation, especially for skin of color.

Higher percentage active products are needed for treating hyperpigmentation in skin of color without causing irritation.

The Ordinary's Squalane Cleanser is recommended for its hydrating properties, which support a healing environment for the skin.

Alpha Arbutin is a tyrosinase inhibitor that can reduce melanin production and hyperpigmentation.

Vitamin C, specifically Ascorbyl Glucoside 12%, is recommended for its effectiveness and lower irritation.

Moisturizing is crucial for reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation by separating compacted skin cells.

Sunscreen with SPF 50 and PA4+ is essential to prevent further hyperpigmentation.

A mineral sunscreen is preferred for its anti-inflammatory properties and suitability for skin of color.

Cleansing in the evening is important to remove makeup, UV exposure, and pollutants that can damage the skin.

Granactive Retinoid 2% is recommended for its instability and the need for refrigeration and timely use.

Niacinamide can be mixed with moisturizers to achieve a 5% ratio, reducing irritation while hydrating the skin.

The cost of the recommended skincare routine from The Ordinary is £45, offering an affordable option for treating hyperpigmentation.

For stubborn hyperpigmentation, a more potent product with all 10 tyrosinase inhibitors may be necessary.

A facial hyperpigmentation kit with all 10 tyrosinase inhibitors is available for stubborn cases at £10.

Dr. V's channel provides non-sponsored advice on treating hyperpigmentation, specifically for skin of color.

Transcripts

hyperpigmentation is one of the toughest

things to treat I would know I had early

onset malasma so that's

hyperpigmentation on the cheekbones and

I remember it so clearly I was in my 20s

I was studying medicine that means I was

still quite young I was about 25 and i'

just come back from holiday and I

thought I had these really cute freckles

and I remember my mom looking at me and

do you know moms they really will tell

you exactly how it is and my mom said no

Vena that is not um those are not

freckles that unfortunately is melasma

and if you don't treat it and if you're

not careful and if you don't start

applying your sunscreen that is going to

spread across your whole face and she's

not wrong so the way it starts 80% of us

is tiny little freckles on the

cheekbones which we think are cute in

fact we exaggerate them by actually

putting on um more kind of makeup to

make your freckles stand out a bit more

but actually what's happened what

happens are that those melanocytes the

cells that produce the pigment melanin

have been triggered by UV damage and it

starts off as tiny little dots but then

they start to amalgamate on the cheek

and they form almost like a map on the

cheeks it then starts to spread across

the rest of their face onto the forehead

and then the lip area tends to happen

more in hot countries it tends to happen

or if you've been to a hot country on

holiday and haven't protect the skin and

it tends to happen in skin of color skin

of color means that we have larger

melanoides so cells to trigger now the

problem is that a lot of the products on

the market can actually make your

hyperpigmentation worse because they're

formulated for Caucasian skin and this

is the reason I actually created this

whole Channel I'm a doctor but also a

cosmetic formulator specifically for

skin of's colors I'm going to tell you

which ingredients to use and which ones

maybe to Sid step one thing you probably

know by now is that a lot of the

products on the market that say that

they treat

hyperpigmentation aren't very effective

the reason is that the percentage

actives tend to be too low they don't

tend to be in the therapeutic index for

hyperpigmentation for skin of color we

tend to need higher percentage active

products that don't irritate the skin

you irritate the skin inflame the skin

so we have to walk a very tight fine

line between the two worlds that's the

reason this whole Channel exists it is a

non-sponsored channel so you know what

products are using and which ones to

avoid so the good news for you today is

that we're going step by step the

products to use from the ordinary for

hyperpigmentation so let's start off

with why does hyperpigmentation occur in

the first place any form of inflammation

can trigger the melanite that's the cell

producing the pigment melanin think of

the melanocyte the cell producing the

pigment melanin a little bit like a

balloon so here I've got my balloon this

is my melanite and this is my

inflammation so inflammation can occur

from a scratch a bite a burn UV

radiation any form of damage can lead to

inflammation I have my balloon which is

my melano site now imagine I pop that

balloon with the inflammation and all

that air that seeps out that's the

melanin melanin seeps out into the skin

cells around it comes to the surface and

now you see hyperpigmentation so I

always say one scratch one bite or one

burn and we hyperpigment so we have to

be more careful with our skin right so

let's go step by step in the morning we

want to cleanse the skin we want to

remove any actives that we've had from

the night before and also any saliva

that might be on the face the reason is

that you have Ames and saliva and that

can also irritate it's a little bit like

in the winter time when you're licking

the corners of your lips and that can

lead to angular kitis so soreness on the

edges of the lips which can also lead to

hyperpigmentation want to get rid of all

of that from the face so the product I'd

recommend from the ordinary would be the

squala cleanser the reason I love it

actually it's very hydrating a lot of

these cleansers on the market strip the

skin and actually when you lose water

from that topl skin you're no longer you

no longer have a healing environment and

that's exact opposite of what we're

trying to do when the skin is well

hydrated all the actives that you put

onto the skin work better so in this if

you look at the inky list that's the

ingredients list at the back it's in

descending order we've got squalene

which is very hydrating it's an emolient

plus glycerin glycerin is a wonderful

ingredient is a water magnet I.E a

humtum and we want that actually in our

cleansers and in our moisturizers so

that again plumps up the skin cells also

helps to reduce the appearance of

hyperpigmentation and this is why it's

also important when it comes to a

moisturizer that's fatty enough to do

that the reason is that your skin cells

as they become compacted at the top

they're loaded with melanin if you put

water molecules in between those cells

they separate a little and actually the

hyperpigmentation doesn't look as dark

have you noticed that on a pigmented

area you put moisturizer and immediately

the skin looks brighter and not so

hyperpigmented that's the reason why the

second step in your morning routine is

your Alpha Artin go for two % this is

where the clinical studies are based at

so Alpha arbutin is a tyrosinase

inhibitor tyrosinase Inhibitors are

essential I know it's a really long word

but let me explain to you what's going

on here there's one enzyme needed to

make melanin and that's tyrosinase if

you inhibit this enzyme you're reducing

the rate of melanin production so you're

reducing the rate of hyperpigmentation

production and so there are lots of

different types of to rosn there 10 that

I highly recommend for skin of color and

this is one of the most effective ones

next moving on to the Vitamin C so there

are lots of vitamin C's uh from the

ordinary the ones I the one I would

recommend is a sko ball glucoside 12% so

this is less irritating than ascorbic

acid which is important for

hyperpigmentation because we're trying

not to trigger any more

hyperpigmentation after this we want to

hydrate the skin remember we talked

about how important it was to create a

healing environment for the skin avoid

all lotions you want to go for a thicker

moisturizer so for example the nmf from

the ordinary if you feel like you're

skin is too dry for this particular

moisturizer I recommend you go for one

with ceramides in it the skin of color

we have less ceramides in our skin

already and so it's something that our

skin craves now there are lots of

different camid on the market I really

like seravee but I also created sarap

pep brightening moisturizer this one's

for skin of color in here I've put in

ceramides and peptides as well as stem

cells so this is specifically if you're

looking for anti-aging as well as

something for your pigmentation I also

put in a couple of extra treats I put in

niacinamide and also licorice root

extract which is another very powerful

tyrosines inhibitor now the next step is

probably the most important step when it

comes to hyperpigmentation and that is

your sunscreen if you don't block the

trigger no matter how many actives you

put on the skin it's not going to work

and so what you want is SPF 50 pa4

pluses now what pa4 pluses means is that

you're getting full protection of your

UVA rays see spf50 relates to your UVB

rays the Rays that burn easy way to

remember as UVA A is for aging and also

more likely to lead to cancer UVA rays

whereas UVB rays lead to Burns so it's

all well and good talking about Burns

and burns are very important because

again if you burn um you are more likely

to lead to skin cancer the UVA is the

silent raise you don't see it happening

it's invisible you don't burn with it

but it's damaging the DNA and so

actually we want broad spectrum pa4

pluses to make sure we're fully

protected now the ordinary doesn't do a

sunscreen at the moment and I always

recommend a mineral over a chemical

sunscreen because it's anti-inflammatory

so I created a mineral sunscreen for you

this gives you spf50 rating pa4 plasters

with zero white cost and that's

something that's obviously important for

skin of color I also put on a few extra

treats I've given you Blue Shield

protection you youve got nicomide and

stem cells so this actually helps you

with your hyperpigmentation and your

anti-aging okay right now moving on to

your PM routine first of all we have to

cleanse the skin don't forget you've had

UV on the skin all day we have a lot of

actives on the skin pollution is the

enemy those particles get into your

pores and start to wreak havoc we

basically have an oxidative stress

taking place in the skin this damages

the collagen and leads to premature fine

lines so what we're going to do is we're

going to cleanse the skin properly first

of all starting off your myel water to

remove any makeup if you wear makeup

during the day second of all you want to

go in with your cleanser so the cleanser

that I like from the ordinary is a Squan

cleanser again it's hydrating the skin

then Pat your skin dry with a white

towel just to make sure all the makeup

has been removed there's no Gunk on the

skin then we go in with our serums so I

would put in your vitamin A first so I

love the 2% um granor retinoid from the

ordinary and with this don't forget you

have to refrigerate this and you have to

use it within 3 months vitamin A is very

unstable I don't love this packaging if

I'm completely honest we do want this

really an airless packaging but the

ordinary right now doesn't do aess

packaging it everything tends to be in

PIP hats next I would recommend your ni

cinnamide now clinical studies for n

cide have been done between 2 to 5% this

can actually irritate a lot of you and

don't forget when it comes to skin of

color the aim is to have 0% irritation

so I have a little trick for you what we

can actually do is to mix these two

together you've got your ninite on one

side and you've got your nmf moisturizer

on the other if we use equal parts of

this we're going to get to about 5%

ratio so you've essentially diluted the

ninite and hydrated the skin at the same

time so let's go through the cost of

this routine so granactive retinoid £1

nmf £6 10 your cleanser £830 nicomide 5

vitamin C4 10 Alpha arbutin £10 used to

be a lot cheaper than that uh but it's

gone up in price and actually it's a

good product so it's worth it the total

cost is

£450 so I would say this is a decent

routine quite a little bit expensive but

probably the most affordable that you

can find in a drugstore at the moment I

would say try this routine for six

months if after 6 months you're seeing

good results then actually you've got

quite easy to treat hyperpigmentation if

however after 6 months you are not

seeing a reduction of pigmentation is

because you have stubborn pigmentation

and it's likely that your pigmentation

has been there for decades your likely

to need all 10 tyros Inhibitors and

again this product didn't exist for you

and so I made it for you so this has all

10 tyros inhibitors for you it's got two

products in it and it's probably the

strongest thing on the market at the

moment however the downside to this

facial hyperpigmentation kit it's

£10 and honestly don't start with my

products first if cheap Works go with

that if it doesn't you at least now have

an option to have the upgrade before

this kit you would have to then go

professional and those uh treatments can

go from £500 to £1,000 so I wanted you

to have something in between just in

case the cheaper products weren't

working for you don't forget you can

download your free guide from our

website skincare by drv and I am in the

comment section for 1 hour at the launch

of every YouTube video so when you

subscribe hit that notification Bell so

you know that I'm here to answer your

questions thank you so much for watching

and I'll see you next time take care