How Did These Brown Spots Appear Overnight?
A lot of our clients with pigmentation problems (i.e. Brown/Sun Spots) want to know more about pigmentation, what it is and how and why it develops.
You don’t always want to be at the mercy of your dermatologist, esthetician or cosmetic sales person to tell you what you need, do you?
The problem is that the mechanism of pigmentation or “melagogenesis” is extremely complicated to explain and maybe somewhat boring for the average person that just wants to know how they can improve or correct it!
Remember: the skin is the second most complicated organ after the brain, and is a laboratory where thousands of chemical reactions are constantly happening.
However, understanding how this mechanism in our skin works is very important to then make educated decisions on what products will work best for you as well as which treatments make sense.
Don’t you want to know why those brown spots are occuring so you can correct it?
We like to explain more complicated skin reactions by describing the cells as people (and we give them different names.) Ultimately, they do act like people in that they perform a lot of the same functions we do.
Keeping this in mind, here are some facts about pigmentation:
- Melanin is the main pigment responsible for our skin color, even though there are other compounds like hemoglobin and carotenoids.
- There are different hues of melanin and they vary between brown and black, and yellow and red (the combination of which is determined by genetics.)
- Melanin is produced in the deepest layer of the epidermis by special cells called melanocytes (think of it as a melanin factory), or as we like to refer to them, The Shaders.
- Melanocyte cells produce hundreds of miniscule black granules daily called melasomes. The combination and coming together of these granules is what makes the melanin pigment.
- Once this pigment is produced (remember, in the deepest layer of the epidermis), it now requires a vehicle to take it where it is needed for protection (more superficially in the epidermis or what we know as the surface of our skin.)
- However, the production and distribution of melanin only occurs when they are stimulated either internally (due to a hormonal reaction or medication, for example) or externally (UV radiation or heat.)
- This transportation is provided by the Keratinocytes, or as we refer to them: The Travelers. The Travelers always travel in a group, so they are happy to take one melanocyte with them.
- In other words, even though the Travelers are willing to take a Shader (or Melanocyte) with them, the Shader doesn’t want to make the trip, unless it is needed (or stimulated by an internal or external factor.)
- Think of the Keratinocytes as one-way travelers, always headed to the skin’s surface (when it reaches the surface, this then become the dead skin we exfoliate.)
- The number of melanocyte cells in each person remains the same NO MATTER COLOR OR RACE. The determining factor in skin color, etc. is the number and size of the pigment granules (or melasomes.)
- The reason abusing the sun is a no-no, is because it abuses this mechanism (either by constant exposure to natural light or tanning beds), and gradually depletes these specialized cells in melanin production (yes, we run out!) and then we are left unprotected as we get older…yikes!
- This is why the Shaders only travel when they’re needed…they know they’re limited and want to reserve their strength for an emergency (otherwise known as your tan!)
(For more information on Sun Protection click here, or to purchase an SPF recommendation!)
Even though this explanation is slightly more complicated and in depth than you may have heard in the past, we hope it has shed some light without making your head spin!
And of course we’re always interested in knowing how you liked this post and if it made any lighbulbs go off. If so, please leave us a comment. We’d love to hear from you!
To your skin’s health!
The Derma Divas.
P.S. If this post interested you, click here to read more about Skin Pigmentation Disorders.
