Hyperpigmentation from Chemotherapy

Selina asked a question about the darkened areas that have appeared all over her skin after she has recently undergone chemotherapy. The American Osteopathic College of Dermatology has an excellent article about hyperpigmentation:

Hyperpigmentation is a common, usually harmless condition in which patches of skin become darker in color than the normal surrounding skin. This darkening occurs when an excess of melanin, the brown pigment that produces normal skin color, forms deposits in the skin. Hyperpigmentation can affect the skin color of people of any race. [Read the rest of the article]

The good news is, it is a very minor problem as far as problems go, and it will fade over time. Time heals everything, doesn’t it? Well, almost everything. In the meantime, if you are suffering with this problem, there are options for you.

Most of the time, the discoloration is very light, and it is likely that you are the only one who is noticing it, and just your regular foundation (matching your normal skin tone, not the hyperpigmentation) will be enough to cover it. If it is dark enough to be troublesome for you, you might give Dermablend (at SkinStore.com) a try. They have a variety of products that can help you, from lightening creams to corrective coverage foundations. Dermablend has been in business a long time, and I think you can be confident in trying their products.

Bare Minerals (also available at SkinStore.com) makes foundations that are in loose powder form that, by reputation, have extremely good coverage without giving you a heavily made up look. Those of you who do not like a regular “full coverage” foundation should give this a try. I understand it to be an exceptional product.

Also, in my research, I found a prescription product called EpiQuin Micro that might be worth taking a look at and discussing with your doctor.

SkinStore.com is a website that is owned and operated by physicians and they specialize in products created by and endorsed by dermatologists. They have an amazing assortment of skin care lines and are definitely worth looking into!

Good luck Selina, and thanks for the question! Let us know if you try any of my suggestions, and how they work for you!