How to Get Rid of Pigmentation Around the Mouth: 5 Ways
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What are your treatment options if a competent clinician or dermatologist tells you the dark spots around your mouth are hyperpigmentation? Hyperpigmentation is a form of discoloration that can develop around the mouth.
Takeaways:
Red light therapy is the only at-home treatment for hyperpigmentation. Home and clinical therapy options include:
- Red Light Therapy
- Laser Therapy
- Microdermabrasion
- Retinol
- Intense Pulsed Light Therapy
Five Ways To Get Rid of Mouth Pigmentation
1 – Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses red light wavelengths to improve skin conditions such as hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and age spots.
The therapy works by stimulating the production of collagen and elastin, which helps to even out skin tone and reduce the appearance of pigmentation. Red light therapy is painless and can be done at home.
Red light therapy stimulates cells. Mitochondria in skin cells can absorb the light particles emitted by red light, increasing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production.
ATP is the energy source for all cells, and by augmenting cellular energy, cells can repair themselves rapidly, returning skin pigmentation to normal levels. Consequently, the collagen levels in the skin increase, which reduces other skin conditions, including melasma and hyperpigmentation. The levels of elastin also increase, aiding in the fight against aging and promoting a lift in the skin’s appearance and a youthful glow.
2 – Laser Therapy
Red light therapy and laser therapy are very different. Red light therapy delivers light with low energy to absorb in the mitochondria, while laser therapy delivers high-energy light to alter the skin’s structure. Laser therapy is “ablative” when the laser heat removes skin.
Dermatologists use several types of lasers for hyperpigmentation. Reducing the pigment tone using a laser is well-established and standard. The friendliest laser treatments are with Q-switched and picosecond lasers. They can erase mouth hyperpigmentation with less pain and healing times. They are less destructive and so require less time to heal.
3 – Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is a noninvasive cosmetic procedure that gently exfoliates the outer layer of the skin. It is commonly used to improve the appearance of age spots, fine lines, and acne scars.
Microdermabrasion can be performed on the face, neck, chest, arms, and hands. The procedure is generally safe and does not require any downtime. Microdermabrasion results are not permanent and may require multiple sessions to achieve the desired effect.
4 – Retinol
Retinol is a popular ingredient in many skincare products. It is a proven ingredient for erasing dark spots around the mouth.
Retinol works by increasing cell turnover, which helps to slough off the top layer of dead skin cells and promote the growth of new skin cells. This process can help to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation and improve skin texture and tone.
When using retinol for hyperpigmentation, it’s essential to start with a low concentration and gradually increase the strength over time. This can help to minimize irritation and other side effects, such as dryness and redness. It’s also essential to use sunscreen daily when using retinol, as it can increase the skin’s sensitivity to the sun and increase the risk of sunburn and other skin damage.
5 – Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL)
I’ve had intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy many times to reduce my rosacea. Every article and clinician will claim that there is only mild discomfort. They say, “It feels like a rubber band snapping on your face.”
My answer to them is, “Yes, sure, if the rubber band has spikes and it’s on fire, that’s exactly how it feels.”
On the other hand, IPL works. Why else would you put up with something that hurts?
IPL is often used to treat hyperpigmentation, sun damage, acne scars, rosacea, and other skin discoloration issues. During the treatment, a handheld device delivers short bursts of light to the skin. The light is absorbed by the targeted pigment or blood vessels, causing them to break down and eventually be absorbed by the body.
The treatment is typically performed in a series of sessions, each lasting 15 to 30 minutes. Wear sunscreen after treatment. Depending on your provider and their IPL machine, you might look like an Ultimate Fighter Champion loser. So, plan your social life accordingly. People asked me if I was run over by a car after IPL treatment.
What are the Dark Patches Around the Mouth?
Discoloration around the mouth, known as hyperpigmentation, is a common issue affecting anyone. Melanin is the pigment that colors our skin, eyes, and hair. Certain triggers can create an overproduction of melanin, which causes dark patches on the skin, sometimes around the mouth. While not usually serious, you should never self-diagnose a skin condition. What are your treatment options once a dermatologist tells you that you have hyperpigmentation?
4 Causes of Mouth Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation can have more than one cause. The mouth area can develop extra melanin due to medical, lifestyle, and medication situations. Three of the most common causes of mouth hyperpigmentation are:
- post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)
- hormonal melasma
- medication side effects
- ultraviolet light exposure
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH)
Skin trauma causes inflammation. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is the overproduction of melanin pigment in response to trauma and the inflammation that causes it. The inflammation can respond to acne, infection, a burn, or blunt trauma. PIH is most likely to develop in the area of injury and inflammation. That is why injury and acne around the mouth also cause dark patches around the mouth.
Hormonal Melasma
Melasma is a form of hyperpigmentation that can occur around the mouth. The patches are gray or brown. Melasma commonly develops on the chin just above the upper lip, the cheeks, and the forehead.
Melasma is hyperpigmentation that is triggered by hormone changes. That is why pregnant women and women on birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy are prone to developing it.
According to a study of melasma in Asian women, melasma is acquired (it is not genetic). It affects sun-exposed areas, including the mouth. The dark areas have irregular borders. In Asian populations, melasma is a more important sign of aging than the development of wrinkles. (source)
Medications
Several medications can trigger hyperpigmentation around the mouth. Hormone replacement therapy can trigger melasma around the mouth.
Antibiotics such as doxycycline increase sensitivity to the sun. The sun’s ultraviolet rays then trigger brown and gray spots around the mouth. Some chemotherapy drugs can trigger hyperpigmentation, too.
Ultraviolet Light
Ultraviolet light damages skin. The ultraviolet wavelengths are the cause of tanning and sunburn.
When your sun is exposed to the sun or tanning bed, the ultraviolet light can produce age spots. Also known as lentigines or liver spots, these can develop as dark pigment around the mouth.
Conclusion
Mouth hyperpigmentation can be distressing. Fortunately, you can choose from medically established procedures to eliminate it. Red light therapy and some forms of retinol are at-home remedies, which would be more convenient than laser, IPL, and microdermabrasion.