Why Winter Is The Best Time To Combat Uneven Skin Tone and Pigment Issues

Why Winter Is The Best Time To Combat Uneven Skin Tone and Pigment Issues

When it comes to aging, one of the biggest complaints is uneven skin tone. Uneven skin tone simply means that our complexions do not appear as smooth and clear as they may have in our younger years. While some may be plagued by one or two areas of skin discolouration in the form of random brown spots, many others are struggling with much more stubborn skin pigmentation disorders such as melasma. When discussing causes, dark spots simply put are the result of excess secretion of melanin in the skin. There are a variety of factors that can be linked to this overproduction in melanin such as hormonal shifts, lack of sleep, stress, aging, and certain medications. The main culprit however for changes in skin pigmentation and/or worsening is sun exposure. 

The good news is that there have been significant advancements in cosmetic treatments available to treat uneven skin tone. From peels to lasers to at-home skin care containing skin lightening ingredients, most skin pigmentation issues can be dramatically improved. It is the timing of these skin brightening treatments that can be tricky. Here are a few reasons as to why the winter is the BEST time to address pigment issues head on:

Shorter Days, More Time Indoors
During the winter months, the sun sets earlier and we tend to spend more time indoors. This reduces our exposure to harmful UVA and UVB rays. Skin care products used to treat uneven skin tone often contain active ingredients, most commonly strong retinols and hydroquinone. These skin-lightening agents can leave your skin vulnerable to the damaging rays of the sun if you don’t use a high SPF consistently. 

Laser treatments that target skin pigmentation such as Clear + Brilliant® and Halo™ also leave treated skin hypersensitive to sunlight. Treated skin that isn’t protected from the sun can react negatively causing burns and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Shorter days and fewer outdoor activities during the wintertime makes it easier for skin to heal without being compromised by the harmful effects of the sun. This does not mean you should abandon your daily use of sunscreen from December to March. Wearing a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher all year round provides protection against skin cancer and helps prevent premature aging.

Easier to take time off in the winter
When tackling skin discolouration using a more aggressive approach, you may experience a day or two of downtime. The Halo™ laser, an effective yet gentle hybrid resurfacing laser, can leave you a little red and puffy for 24 to 48 hours. If you’re self-conscious post-treatment and want to take a day off to recover, plenty of paid holidays during the winter months make planning your laser treatment easier than any other time of year.

Get your skin glowing in time for spring
If your goal is a clear, even complexion for spring/summer, then it makes the most sense to address your skin pigmentation issues in the winter. It’s likely that your skin is not tanned making it easier to schedule laser treatments such as Halo™. It’s also the perfect time to target areas such as your neck, chest and hands to get rid of any sun damage before you start shedding some of the layers of clothing you’ve been bundled up in due to the frigid temperatures. Your skin will have enough time to heal with minimal risk of compromising your treatment results before you start spending more time outdoors during the warmer months.

Visit APT Medical Aesthetics for a free consultation to discuss how you can get started or visit our e-skin store and browse our uneven skin tone products today.