Hyperpigmentation and Melasma treatment – My Skincare Journey
Dr Stephen Humble sees lots of clients in his clinic and reviews lots of clients over Zoom for skincare reviews. He assesses them, discusses their skincare concerns and creates a tailored skincare regimen for them to follow. Below we follow the journey of Kelly, one of the Hedox team, as she was treated by Dr Humble for Hyperpigmentation treatment and Melasma treatment.
What is your skin type?
Normal to dry.
What was your previous skincare routine?
I have always used a face wash in the morning and cleansed at night. Sometimes toned, sometimes not. I used to use cleansing wipes (also been known to use the odd baby wipe!) until I realised how bad they were for the environment and then I stopped. I always moisturise twice a day. I have always used an SPF, but just one built within my moisturiser unless I was abroad on holiday, then I use a separate one.
What were your skincare concerns?
I had never had particularly problematic skin or breakouts etc, my skin has always been good. To be honest, I have never paid much attention to my skin at all. However, over recent years what used to be an even sprinkling of freckles, turned to patches of pigmentation. It started when I was pregnant and didn’t ever go. It came around my mouth, chin, on my forehead and was very noticeable.
What made you seek advice form Dr Humble at Hedox?
Over the last few years, the pigmentation around my mouth seemed to get worse, as well as the pigmentation on my forehead. I started to develop some pigmentation on my cheeks too. I don’t wear much make-up and it was starting to bother me, so I spoke to Dr Humble for his advice and he was brilliant. He explained what it was, offered advice on suitable products to treat it and how to use the products together correctly. I didn’t know much at all about pigmentation, hyperpigmentation and Melasma treatment, so he explained the options to me.
“Melasma can develop due to hormonal changes such as pregnancy or the contraceptive pill and has a tendency to show around the mouth, forehead and cheeks and be in a symmetrical pattern. Kelly developed this during her pregnancy and it didn’t clear afterwards. Hyperpigmentation may also arise as a result of prolonged sun damage, where patches become darker in a random pattern due to excess melanin. In addition, it can also be from acne scarring or inflammation. This has developed more recently for Kelly, so we were treating both hormonal Melasma and sun-related Hyperpigmentation.” Dr Humble explains.
What products were you recommended?
I was recommended the following hyperpigmentation and Melasma treatment:
ZO Skin Health Brightening Program, which includes:
- Gentle Cleanser – am and pm
- Exfoliating Polish – am
- Complexion Renewal Pads – am and pm
- Brightalive Skin Brightener – pm
- Daily Power Defense – am and pm
Plus, the addition of:
“Kelly had never used medical-grade skincare before and was concerned about using anything too strong on her skin for her hyperpigmentation treatment. I recommended this system to target the pigmentation and improve the texture of her skin. In our discussions, Kelly made it clear that she didn’t want to lose her freckles, so I was mindful of this when making her skincare recommendations.”
What were your results like?
After three months of using the ZO Skin Health Brightening Program I had noticed a very marked difference in my Hyperpigmentation and Melasma as well as the texture of my skin. There was still some noticeable marking, which I am sure would have continued to reduce if I had persisted just on this program, however, I spoke to Dr Humble for to see if we could speed the process up.
Dr Humble commented “We added in the Obagi Clear (prescribed version) into Kelly’s daily routine to help reduce the really stubborn pigmentation. This was used twice a day in addition to the ZO Skin Health Brightening Program and the ZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener 1%. The results have been brilliant and the Melasma/Hyperpigmentation has significantly reduced!”
Before and after images – Taken in October and February
What are the next steps?
“We will continue her on this until she has finished the program. Following this, we will then reassess her and her skin and decide whether the ZO Skin Health Brightening Program is the program for her to stay on or whether we should start a slightly different tailored regimen including a cleanser, antioxidant and hydrator and possibly a retinoid. No matter what, we will ensure that it always includes a high factor SPF to help keep the hyperpigmentation at bay. Hyperpigmentation and Melasma treatment is an ongoing process as prevention is as important as the treatment itself.” Dr Humble added.
I am so pleased with the improvement. The Hyperpigmentation has improved so dramatically, in fact, it’s basically gone! Plus, my skin is glowing! ZO Skin Health Brightening Program, ZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener 1% and Obagi Clear have all worked wonders and I use the ZO SPF50 sunscreen religiously every day, no matter what the weather. Getting advice from a specialist in medical-grade skincare has not only given great results, but saved a lot of time and money on products that weren’t effective or right for my skin!
For further information on hyperpigmentation and Melasma treatment and Hyperpigmentation and Melasma see our blog post
Are you looking for an expert to discuss your hyperpigmentation or other skin concerns with and to create you a tailored skincare program? If so, please contact the Hedox Clinic to arrange a free remote consultation on 0208 185 7273 or email us at info@hedoxclinic.co.uk