World Beauty Day | Scientific freckle removal to restore beautiful appearance

In 2007, the International Hairdressing and Beauty Workers Association suggested that November 7th of each year be designated as "World Beauty Day" to promote people's understanding of beauty issues and mobilize people to support and maintain the development of the beauty industry. With the increasing demand for beauty products such as whitening, freckle removal, and anti-aging, various beauty and skin care products and methods are emerging in an endless stream. However, the public is often keen on beauty products boasted by merchants, but knows little about the principles of beauty, and medical knowledge in this area needs to be popularized. Among them, removing pregnancy spots is also a hot topic of concern. On the occasion of this year's "World Beauty Day", this newspaper reporter interviewed Yu Aijiao, the attending physician of the Laser Skin Beauty Center of the Dermatology Hospital of Southern Medical University, to popularize pregnancy spots and their removal methods for the public.

What are pregnancy spots?

Yu Aijiao explained that pregnancy spots are medically called chloasma, a common disfiguring skin disease. Although it is called pregnancy spots, it does not only appear during pregnancy. Young and middle-aged women are prone to it. Studies have found that the incidence of pregnancy spots in Asian women of childbearing age is as high as 30%. The clinical manifestations of pregnancy spots are light brown to dark brown patches symmetrically distributed on the face, commonly found on the cheeks, forehead, mandible and other parts. Because the location of pregnancy spots is generally conspicuous, it often has a certain impact on the patient's appearance and psychology.

Causes and characteristics of pregnancy spots

There are three main factors for the occurrence of pregnancy spots. Yu Aijiao explained to reporters that the first is genetic background. Dark-skinned people are more likely to have pregnancy spots, and 40% of patients have a family history. The second is sunlight exposure. Ultraviolet radiation can directly stimulate melanocytes to synthesize more melanin. Yu Aijiao added: "80%-90% of patients with chloasma also have photoaging symptoms, which is related to long-term sunlight exposure. In addition to ultraviolet rays, blue light is also involved in the onset of chloasma, which destroys the basement membrane band in the skin and degenerates elastic fibers, leading to photoaging of the skin." The third is the change in sex hormone levels. The effects of estrogen and progesterone in the body during pregnancy will increase pigment production and cause pregnancy spots, which is also the origin of the name of pregnancy spots. In addition, oral contraceptives may also aggravate pregnancy spots.

In addition, poor sleep, excessive fatigue, improper use of cosmetics, and some systemic diseases may also induce or aggravate pregnancy spots.

How to get rid of pregnancy spots

Yu Aijiao reminded that pregnancy spots are very stubborn and there is no way to completely remove them, but treatment can lighten the spots and reduce their range. There are many treatments for pregnancy spots, and no one drug or treatment is the best or fastest. Doctors will also choose different treatment plans based on the stage and type of pregnancy spots, combined with individual differences of patients and adverse reactions of treatment methods. Yu Aijiao introduced the following common ways to remove spots to reporters.

1. Topical medication

(1) Hydroquinone and its glycoside derivatives: First-line topical drugs for pregnancy spots, with a common concentration of 2%-5%. Yu Aijiao said that the higher the concentration, the better the effect, but the greater the irritation to the skin, which may cause adverse reactions such as erythema, peeling, and loss of pigmentation. If used alone, pregnancy spots are prone to recurrence and generally need to be combined with other treatments. Arbutin, as a glycoside derivative, is less irritating than hydroquinone, but its effect is also weaker than hydroquinone.

(2) Retinoic acid: It is usually used in combination with hydroquinone to increase the effectiveness of hydroquinone. However, retinoic acid can also cause certain irritation to the skin.

(3) Azelaic acid: usually used at a concentration of 15%-20%. Common adverse reactions include itching and burning sensations, and a small number of patients may also experience erythema, dryness, and peeling.

2. Systemic medication

(1) Tranexamic acid: Currently, it is mostly taken orally and takes effect after 1-2 months. Common side effects include gastrointestinal reactions and decreased menstrual flow. It should not be used by people with a history of thrombosis, angina pectoris, or stroke, or those with a family history of such diseases.

(2) Vitamin C and Vitamin E: Vitamin C can inhibit melanin synthesis, and Vitamin E has a strong antioxidant effect. The two are generally used in combination to enhance the therapeutic effect.

(3) Glutathione: It can reduce melanin synthesis. It is usually taken orally and is often used in combination with vitamin C in clinical practice.

3. Medical beauty treatment

(1) Chemical peel: Yu Aijiao explained: "Chemical peel is what we often call chemical skin rejuvenation. You can use fruit acid, salicylic acid, or a compound acid containing multiple acids." This type of treatment can accelerate the turnover of keratinocytes and promote pigment metabolism, thereby playing a role in lightening spots. Generally, the treatment is once every 2-4 weeks, and 4-6 times is a course of treatment. Adverse reactions include postoperative erythema, stinging and burning sensations, and scabs and desquamation. A small number of people will experience post-inflammatory pigmentation, commonly known as anti-pigmentation.

(2) Photoelectric therapy: Picosecond lasers and Q-switched lasers, which target pigments, can selectively destroy melanosomes in melanocytes, thereby reducing the pigment in the skin. Generally, a large spot and low energy mode is selected, and the intensity is required to be mild. There will be slight erythema after the operation. Usually the treatment is once every 2-4 weeks, and more than 4-6 treatments are required. Intense pulsed light, commonly known as photorejuvenation, can also be used to improve pregnancy spots by promoting pigment metabolism and stimulating collagen regeneration. Yu Aijiao emphasized that pigmentation and hypopigmentation may occur after photoelectric therapy, and recurrence is easy after stopping treatment, so it is not recommended as a single, long-term treatment.

Daily care for pregnancy spots

Yu Aijiao believes that the most important thing is to avoid sun exposure in daily life and use sunscreen every day. It is best to choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF value greater than or equal to 30 that is effective against both UVA and UVB, and reapply it every two hours, at least 2 mg/cm2 each time. In addition, some shielding sunscreen measures should be used on the basis of sunscreen, such as holding an umbrella, wearing a hat, wearing a mask, wearing sun-protective clothing, etc. The second is to adjust your lifestyle, ensure adequate sleep, and try to maintain a good attitude. Thirdly, you should avoid taking some oral drugs that may cause changes in hormone levels or are photosensitizing, otherwise it will aggravate pregnancy spots.

In terms of the choice of skin care products, Yu Aijiao said that the pregnancy spots of some patients are related to the damage of the skin barrier, so you should pay attention to the repair of the skin barrier, and choose some products containing ceramide, cholesterol, fatty acids, etc. to repair the skin barrier. In addition, you can also choose some freckle removal products containing licorice extract, L-VC, resveratrol, glutathione, tranexamic acid, peptide Anmido and other whitening ingredients, which can also achieve the effect of lightening spots.

Finally, Yu Aijiao reminded that there are three major misunderstandings about the removal of pregnancy spots. First, some people may buy products for the removal of pregnancy spots on e-commerce platforms or WeChat merchants, and there will be peeling after use. In the short term, it seems to have whitening and skin rejuvenation effects, but over time the skin barrier will be damaged, and it will also cause post-inflammatory pigmentation, aggravating pregnancy spots. Second, some people do some irregular freckle removal projects in beauty salons, which may also induce the aggravation of pregnancy spots. Third, in daily life, some people like to make facial masks with foods such as lemons that they feel have whitening effects and apply them to their faces. This may cause irritation reactions or photosensitivity reactions, inducing the aggravation of pregnancy spots and should be avoided.

Produced by Guangdong Science and Technology Newspaper Media Center

Text | Maibo intern Liu Ruimin