Best – 20 August 2019

20 FACEBOOK.COM/BESTMAGAZINE

QUESTIONS

Q

Spots have left pink and brown

marks over my cheeks. How

can I get rid of them?

Charlotte, Swansea

A

DR AAMER SAYS: Called post-inflammatory

hyperpigmentation (PIH), this is scarring

caused by injury to the skin. It’s very important

that you get an expert diagnosis before commencing

any sort of treatment and are treated by a doctor.

Sometimes, the tools used to treat hyperpigmentation

can actually exacerbate the condition. A course of light

salicylic acid or chemical peels, laser therapy or red

light and blue light treatments (if there is active acne)

will help fade the marks over time. Peels cost from

£100 per treatment, laser therapy from £150, while

red and blue light therapy is priced from £60.

LESLEY SAYS: Pigmentation can be a stubborn

problem and needs patience in treatment. Look

for ingredients like niacinamide or vitamin C ( but

don’t use them together), which will help fade

marks. Eucerin Anti-Pigment Spot Corrector,

£14.50, is a non-greasy gel containing thiamidol,

which reduces melanin production. Rosehip oil

contains a high concentration of linoleic acid

and vitamin C, both of which help battle post-

inflammatory hyperpigmentation. It also helps

to clear up active acne and prevent it from

returning. Try Rosina’s Rose Perfecting Oil,

£22, good for all skin types. Prescription-

strength retin A can also help to fade

pigmentation. I recommend Vi Derm

Ultra A, £60, but it may take up to six

months before you see any difference. 

It is also extremely important to combine

any treatment for pigmentation with a broad-

spectrum SPF50 product. One day’s exposure

to excess sun can undo months of treatment!

Finally, choose a high-coverage foundation

like BPC Mineral Powder, £38, a pressed

SPF foundation powder available in a range

of colours, which contains vitamins A, D

and E and is oil-free.

We all want to look youthful, but why have surgery when softer options can be

just as effective – and much cheaper? Husband-and-wife team Dr Aamer Khan

and skin care specialist Lesley Reynolds argue it out in the pages of best...

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