We love researching for the best SPFs and nightcare creams for our face, nourishing lotions for our hands and legs and hydrating moisturizers for our feet but do we also put the same effort for our neck and back? We know, we know! All of us are guilty of neglecting the skin on our back and neck. But we bet you don’t want the skin from your chin to your chest being too thin and fragile, and susceptible to wrinkles and a sagging neckline. Did you know that neck skin becomes crinkly quicker than the face as the collagen layer is thinner. And the skin on our back is always dry and itchy. To top it all, hyperpigmentation on the neck leaves such a bad impression, no one wants skin with hyperpigmentation and spots.
ce. But do remember to be careful with ingredients, as the skin here is more delicate, so it’s more likely to react to potent actives. Confused? Read our complete guide to back and neck creams.
How do such creams work?
Hyperpigmentation, being one common skincare condition manifests in different ways such as melasma, dark spots, age spots, patchy skin with deeper tones on the body. It can be reduced or managed by adding the right kind of skincare products to your regimen. All you need to do is ensure that you are picking the right kind of ingredients that help tackle the issue at hand, and refrain from using any harmful ingredients or products with claims of shortcut results. “To understand how an anti-pigmentation or a hyperpigmentation cream works, let’s first understand what causes hyperpigmentation. Melanin cells in our skin, once damaged or unhealthy, produce exorbitant amounts of melanin, giving our skin a deeper colour. Anti-pigmentation creams work by reducing the creation and generation of melanin in the skin, resulting in reduced pigmentation, dark spots and age spots,” says Deep Lalvani, Founder, Sublime LIfe
Some of the actives that help in skin discoloration are Niacinamide, glycolic acid, vitamin C, Vitamin E, Kojic acid, lactic acid. “Natural extracts like papaya, bearberry, liquorice, mulberry also have skin lightening and smoothening properties,” says Zeal Shah, Founder, Bare Body Essentials.
Active ingredients to look out for in the labels? Safe ingredients for skin discoloration
While anti-pigmentation ingredients don’t have a great record when it comes to safety but there are some active ingredients that are considered 100% safe and work effectively to combat hyperpigmentation such as Kojic acid, Niacinamide, Alpha Arbutin, Glycolic acid to name a few. “These safe skin discolouration ingredients inhibit melanin synthesis, remove melanin pigment faster, even skin tone and boost a healthy, bright glow. They are also beneficial skincare ingredients as they multitask and lend your skin more benefits than just one,” opines Lalvani.
Go for natural or safe alternatives for skin brightening or hyperpigmentation issues. “Some of the ingredients you should look out for in OTC are Kojic acid, vitamin C, niacinamide, willow bark extract, AHA’s and BHA’s, glutathione, Azelaic acid, Mulberry extract, Alpha arbutin, Glycolic acid, lactic acid and Licorice extract. Other than these natural alternatives prescription drugs are available but for that always contact your dermatologist for severe skin issues,” adds Aditi Vyas, Co-founder, Azafran.
How to choose a product that might work for you?
When it comes to picking the right skincare product for you, there’s no concept of ‘one formula fits all’. Skincare is very personal and what might work for one person’s skin might not work for another. “Instead of jumping the trend wagon and picking a product with a major cult following, we’d suggest to consumers to put in a little extra effort and time to understand which ingredients work for their skin better. It’s important to know your skin type, the skin issue to tackle (hyperpigmentation in this case) and the best ingredients that will help you achieve maximum results,” says Lalvani.
If you’re unsure of what your skin type is, don’t hesitate to seek a dermatologist’s help. They’ll help you in recommending the most precise products and ingredients for your skin type.
“We believe that every body part requires a different kind of care, which is why we have come up with a very specific and targeted skin care range to make it easy for our users to choose from in accordance with their requirements and concerns,” says Shah.
For anti-pigmentation creams that work well for the neck and back, products with azelaic acid, retinoids, kojic acid are the way to go.
Depending on the level of hyperpigmentation or discoloration you may want to choose your cream. “For everyday skin glow, licorice extract, mulberry extract, niacinamide, vitamin C and kojic acid are the ingredients that work pretty well without disturbing the skin. For a little stronger pigmentation lactic acid, glycolic acid based and AHA and BHA based creams work well,” says Vyas.
Aided by such creams, how long does it take for hyperpigmentation to fade?
In any skin care routine, consistency is the key. There is no magic remedy for lasting effects. “Most users start seeing visible results in 15 days of regular usage, while some may take upto a month,” adds Shah.
It’s understandable that hyperpigmentation can be a frustrating skin concern to target. Hyperpigmentation can take time to fade depending on the cause. In deeper skin tones, it might take a little longer due to higher melanin content in the skin cells. However, anyone can speed up the process of reducing hyperpigmentation by adding anti-pigmentation creams and other essentials to their skincare routine and using them rigorously for maximum results. “Using a combination of efficient serum that tackles dark spots and fades pigmentation along with a cream, including anti-inflammatory and brightening ingredients can yield better and quicker results. Many brands claim quicker results ranging from as less as two weeks to months for the dark spots to fade and brighter skin to show up,” feels Lalvani.
Every skin responds differently against each active. “Stay away from 5 days and 7 days claim creams as these will always contain harsh skin damaging chemicals. Depending on your type of skin and level of pigmentation it may take 2 to 3 weeks to see actual results which is very normal. Be patient and the results will glow,” believes Vyas.
How are these creams different from other existent products that align under the “Tan Removal” category?
Hyperpigmentation creams work on efficiently reducing dark spots, age spots or any darkened patches in the skin caused due to an increased amount of melanin production. Hyperpigmentation can be caused by hormonal fluctuations, genetics, medications, sun exposure and many other factors, tanning on the other hand is caused due to being exposed to the harmful UV rays. “Tan removal creams have a blend of important minerals, natural oils and ingredients that lift away dead skin cells, boost blood circulation, fight free radicals and enable cell repair. This helps with the removal of the temporary darkened skin caused due to the exposure to the sun,” says Lalvani. While tan removal creams might include more calming ingredients such as aloe, cucumber, centella asiatica and others to soothe inflamed skin, hyperpigmentation creams possess more active ingredients that work on a slightly deeper level than the tan removal creams.
Precautions that one can take to avoid hyperpigmentation
Some of the basic precautions that can be taken to avoid hyperpigmentation include avoiding sunlight, use a hat to protect your skin from direct sunlight if you have to step out during peak sunlight.” Use a sunscreen for added protection, avoid touching your skin a lot with your hands, add vitamin C products in your daily routine,” says Shah.
If you’re acne-prone or sensitive, use non-comedogenic soothing skincare products to prevent hyperpigmentation. Any injury or wound to the skin can also lead to that area becoming darker in colour, so it’s advised to not pick your skin. Exfoliating your skin regularly is another easy and effective way to slough off dead skin cells that lead to unwanted fine lines, dark skin and wrinkles from showing up.
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