Keep reading to learn the root causes of your spots and my favorite skincare + skin food to brighten your complexion.  

What Is The Difference Between Red Spots And Brown Spots?

RED SPOTS
Post-Inflammatory Erythema (PIE) - happens when blood flow is stopped during the inflammation stage. Any damage to the blood vessels can cause the red or pink marks that appear on the skin. Your skin is usually thinner as it heals and this might make erythema more apparent. PIE can range from very light pink, red, and deep purple. Popping, squeezing, and picking at your pimples can increase trauma to the skin and damage blood vessels - so hands off!

BROWN SPOTS
Hyperpigmentation and brown spots - are abnormal melanin deposition that may be triggered by the way skin regenerates after inflammation or injury such as acne, sunburn, or harsh skin treatments.

Dark spots are caused by internally produced dermatoxins (viral waste) made of one-half methylated aluminum and the other half a mix of methylated cadmium, nickel, lead, and mercury; different types of age spots depend on the composition of that second half. – Liver Rescue, Medical Medium

Skincare To Help Spots and Pigmentation:

My go-to for all types of acne scarring is the Rescue Epidermal Repair Serum. This potent serum helps activate epidermal wound and DNA repair targeting skin texture, pores and spots. Rescue helps to strengthen the skin’s immunity by restoring its oxygen fighting power and Decreases the inflammation present in the skin helping the healing process to resume.

Post-Inflammatory Erythema (Red Spots)

Being gentle with your skin can help prevent PIE. Rough scrubs, harsh ingredients and aggressively stripping your skin’s moisture barrier, along with picking and squeezing the skin can make PIE worse. Time and patience truly can help with fading PIE, but below is one of my favorite serums to help combat PIE. 

Calm Gentle Retinal Serum - Contains antioxidants and many soothing botanicals like wild cherry bark and sea buckthorn berry to restore the lipid barrier and reduce inflammation. This gentle .035% retinal serum calms sensitive skin and encourages innate cell renewal processes while reducing redness. 

Wild Cherry Bark - “Topically, wild cherry bark is beneficial for inflammation and to help soothe skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, and rashes”. – Medical Medium 

Hyperpigmentation (Brown Spots)

Correct Preventative Retinal Serum - Contains .083% retinaldehyde to promote cell turnover to lessen pigmentation and brighten overall skin tone. This serum also uses dimethyl Sulfone (MSM), an organic sulfur compound that strengthens skin’s support structure to promote the synthesis of proteins and connective tissue.

Vitamin A derivatives such as retinaldehyde inhibit tyrosinase activity. It interferes with melanin production, lightens skin, and may also increase your skin's cell turnover ratio. This reduces the appearance of pigmentation spots.

MSM (dimethyl sulfone) can help reduce the appearance of hyper-pigmentation. It has a brightening effect on the skin overall when applied topically, and over time may also help reduce uneven skin tone and help correct areas of darker pigmentation as well.

Facials For Dark Spots And Pigmentation

Microchanneling Using the RevitaPen. This holistic, no-needles, highly effective collagen induction treatment increases fibroblast activity without causing trauma to the skin and accelerates results for up to 30 days of continuous collagen formation. By stimulating the outermost layers of the skin, microchanneling will help jump-start your skin’s natural renewal process just waiting to be activated.

Vitamin A Facial Infusion:
The Osmosis Vitamin A Infusion is a non-acid, calming, anti-bacterial, dermal remodeling facial treatment.This non-inflammatory non-acid peel is unique and extremely effective with no down time or epidermal damage that is associated with average chemical acid exfoliation. Facial infusion works to thicken the dermis, normalize oil production, lift pigmentation, minimize redness, improve fine lines, tone and elasticity while restoring capillary flow for skin nutrition.

Skin Food For Pigmentation:

Wild Blueberries have been said to help with skin whitening because they contain ellagic acid, which has been shown to inhibit the production of melanin. They have also been said to reduce acne inflammation and provide the skin with ample antioxidant benefits.

Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie:

It can be helpful to consume the five foods that work synergistically to remove toxic heavy metals daily: fresh cilantro, wild blueberries, Atlantic dulse, barley grass juice powder and spirulina. You can combine them into the Medical Medium Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie, which is a simple and easy way to consume them every day. Or you can eat them in another way you like.The key is to consume all five foods in a 24 hour period, and do that every day. It takes time for toxic heavy metals to leave the body and we are exposed to new ones all the time, so keep up with it as much as you can.

The takeaway: It takes harmonious actions and lifestyle changes to transform the skin. Understanding and preventing pigmentation, using supportive skin care at home, enjoying a variety of nourishing skin foods, and getting help from a trusted skin care professional can all support improving the appearance of the skin. It is also important to remember if you are using exfoliating ingredients, or having resurfacing treatments done to protect your skin from peak sun exposure, and wear a mineral based SPF as the skin might be more sensitized. 

The information provided on this site is for general informational purposes only, to include blog postings and any linked material. The information is not intended to be a substitute for professional health or medical advice or treatment, nor should it be relied upon for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of any health consideration. Consult with a licensed health care practitioner before altering or discontinuing any medications, treatment or care, skin care products or starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program. The content of this blog and any linked material does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Mindful Beauty facesbykatey and is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.