Brown spots above the upper lip: How to get rid of them

It is possible to develop brown spots around the mouth. Often called‘melasma’, pregnancy mask or hyperpigmentation, these marks can be caused by a variety of factors: age, hormonal changes, sun damage allergens or the use of irritating products.

How does melasma develop?

Studies have shown that melanocytes (the cells that colour our skin) are hyperactive in people with melasma. However, the reason for this mechanism of action is not yet well understood.

Possible triggers of melasma :

• The problems of thyroid
• The stress although controversial, some studies suggest that stress can cause the pregnancy mask. By increasing cortisol levels, it may contribute to the development of pigment spots.
• The pregnancy the : It is thought that an increase in the hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which occurs during pregnancy, triggers melasma
• The pill contraceptive
• UV rays: When sunlight hits our skin, it causes the body to produce more melanin. This seems to explain why melasma develops on the skin most exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck and arms
• Certain treatments that make the skin more sensitive to the sun (including retinoids, some antibiotics and some blood pressure medications)
• Certain medications
• Artificial tanningbooths

A predisposition to develop the pregnancy mask

Researchers do not know why some people get pregnancy mask while others do not. However, they are certain that some people have a higher risk of developing melasma. In fact, you are more likely to get a pregnancy mask on your face if :

1. You have medium to dark skin tone: People of Asian, Latino, Black or Native American descent
2. You are a woman between the ages of 20 and 40: melisma is much more common in women than in men. Hormones seem to play a role in the development of melasma
3. A member of your family also has a pregnancy mask

What are the best active ingredients for lightening pigment spots above the mouth?

In order to reduce these spots, which are sometimes considered unsightly, there are many products available in the parapharmacy. It is important to choose active ingredients such as:

• L’azelaic acid ( contained for example insVR flash ampoule )
• Arbutin ( found in the Yellow cream from Dermaceutic or in Biocyte’s Radiant Skin Complex )
• Kojic acid ( the depigmenting cream DSP SPF 50 from Martiderm contains it)
• The vitamin C and the soy ( An explosive cocktail found in the serum Garancia’s Call of the Forest )
• The niacinamide found in niacinamide serum by La Roche Posay
• Licorice root in Mela cream by Dermaceutic

We recommend that you use your active ingredients for a minimum of three months. These products need time to work. In addition, you must apply them to clean, dry skin to limit their irritating effect and protect yourself from UV rays (yes, even on grey days).

Practical advice to avoid developing brown spots on the upper lip

Although they are not harmful to your health, brown spots are often a source of embarrassment, which is why we advise you to follow these few recommendations to prevent them from appearing on your face:

1. Firstly, we advise you toavoid possible allergens that disrupt pigment production and can lead to almost permanent discoloration: Camphor, menthol, beeswax, mint, lanolin, perfumes …
2. Do not use exfoliating products on the lips: The skin on the lips is much thinner than that on the rest of the face. Therefore, when you exfoliate it, you create micro cracks that aggravate dehydration, cause irritation and therefore excess pigmentation.
3. Put your cigarette down: The molecules that make up cigarette smoke are very inflammatory for the skin in general. Indeed, smoke is a source of oxidative stress, itself responsible for the overproduction of pigments. Smoking also causes the lips to overheat, which can lead to a disruption of the skin’s natural pigmentation
4. Stop moistening your lips: every time you run your tongue over your mouth, it causes moisture on the surface of the skin, leading to evaporation and dehydration. The second problem is that saliva is extremely irritating to the skin
5. Don’t use homemade lemon concoctions: Citrus fruits are very irritating to the skin, some of their components interact with UV rays creating micro-cuts that are likely to aggravate pigment spots
6. Make sure you maintain a certain hormonal balance.
7. Avoid perfumes, essential oils and synthetic fragrances
8. Do not succumb to the urge touse too many products at the same time. In short: Several active ingredients = irritation = weakened and thinner skin = increased pigment production
9. Use a sun cream 365 days a year, even on grey days.

Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459271/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31802394/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4155956/

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