Fall is a great time to think about repairing when it comes to your skin.  Especially for pigmentation.

All those fun days in the summer sun can leave our skin looking blotchy, spotted and uneven with pigmentation everywhere.

Our skin has a memory and it remembers all those times we forgot to apply our sunscreen.  Fluctuating hormones and age can also increase dark spots on the skin as well.

Certain medications can interact with the sun causing an increase in pigmentation and sensitivity of the skin. Always read labels and be diligent with SPF daily.

The good news is you can improve the look of pigmentation a lot!  Let’s talk about what repairing steps you can incorporate into your skin care routine that will correct and keep your skin even, beautiful and spot free!

Where do you start? Just a few simple steps

Exfoliation.  Being consistent is the key. There are exfoliants that can be used every day and some only a couple of times a week.  Whichever one you choose, just make sure you are doing exfoliation on a regular basis.  Exfoliating will start to gently break up and lighten dark spots making it easier for the next steps to be more effective.

Peels.  I love a good peel!  They can give dramatic results and really jumpstart the repairing process for pigmented skin.  Peels come in many forms.  Pads that are soaked in a solution and wiped over the face and mask-like products that are applied and then rinsed off are some of the popular ones.

Peels can be used weekly or monthly depending on their strength.  They usually have ingredients like salicylic or glycolic acids.  There are also more natural brands that use extracts like apple and other fruits that give a really nice result as well.

Retinol.  If there is one important product you need to be using on your skin it is retinol.  Most dermatologists agree.  It’s the gold standard in repairing, correcting and de-aging of the skin.  There are some really good affordable brands in department and drugstores now that give great results. The retinol can be in a moisturizer or as a serum type of product.  On the product label, it will say that retinol is within the ingredients. That’s what you’re looking for.

More natural products have retinol alternative ingredients such as licorice root for lightening the skin.  These work really nice also.  I have used them and have been really happy with the results.

Use retinol at night only as it can be too irritating during the day and it can make you sun sensitive, so always make sure you have some form of SPF on daily.  Apply it separately or make sure it’s in your makeup.

How often should I use a retinol?

Depending on your skin type will determine how often you use it.  You may need to start with just a couple of days a week, then every other night, and eventually every night.  Your skin will let you know.  Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, so don’t overuse it.  A little goes a long way and does the job.

When you are using a retinol type of product make sure you are using hydrating and healing products during the day.  Your skin can dry out and you want to make sure you are keeping a nice balance of moisture in the skin.

Incorporating these easy steps this fall and winter will give you some great results week after week.  You will see pigmentation and spots lighten, and lines and wrinkles soften.  Your skin will be brighter and you will have that beautiful glow again.  Don’t be surprised if your skin looks tighter and firmer as well from doing these steps!   Nice bonus!

Get in a routine this fall with skin repairing.  More even, younger looking skin is just a few months away!   Now let’s get glowing!!

Until next time,

~pat