Discolouration

Without a shadow of a doubt, sunlight is the largest single source of vitamin D 3 for most people. It is important to not expose yourself to too much sun, as this can be harmful too. It has been calculated that if you expose your skin to sun in a bathing suit long enough to produce slight redness of the skin, you'll produce the equivalent of 10,000-25,000 IU of oral vitamin D. Just five to ten minutes in the sun two to three times a week, exposing your hands, legs, and arms, is more than adequate to satisfy your vitamin D requirements, and you're not likely to significantly increase your risk of skin cancer in the process. After your five to ten minutes of sun exposure, apply a broad spectrum sunscreen of minimum SPF 50 for the rest of your time in the sun. The good news is that you can't overdose on the vitamin D manufactured by your skin.

Quite simply, it directly and indirectly influences most of what happens in our bodies every second of every day. Vitamin D 3 isn’t actually a vitamin. Rather, it’s a hormone precursor, the active component of which Calcitriol (the actual hormone) attaches to more than 2,700 sites on the human genome, and it turns on more than 1,000 genes, prompting them to do their jobs. In fact, Vitamin D 3 probably affects every disease the body can contract. The evidence is particularly strong when it comes to vitamin D’s role in resisting infection, maintaining bone and muscle, and reducing cancer risks. It are these fundamental roles of vitamin D 3 that affect our risk for so many different diseases.

It’s definitely the best idea to first establish exactly WHAT changes you wish to see on your skin, and then choose your skin care products accordingly. There is a lot to be said for “cherry picking” the best combination of products to give you the changes in your skin that you want to see. I’m going to have to generalise in your case, because I have not seen your particular skin for myself. Generally I find that Indian patients struggle with pigmentation and uneven skin tone. Being younger, I would say in terms of that particular issue, you need to focus on prevention and maintenance. So I would recommend something with anti-oxidants and tyrosinase inhibitors to start evening out skin tone and a good SPF to apply in the mornings. Then, I would suggest at night, you use something to deal specifically with the oiliness and the breakouts. There are some fantastic product options available to you within the medical ranges that are of a high quality and have high doses of properly formulated actives to specifically work on these types of concerns. If you would like to have a look at some of your product options, please visit our online store for options and pricing. 

The challenge with pigmentation, is that it will always require lifelong management. This is why the remedies you have tried thus far only work temporarily. The aim is to use a product that will suppress the skin cells that make pigment from continuously making more pigment, while at the same time, using products that will prevent pigment darkening. So you need to start by using a good quality facial SPF on a daily basis for prevention, and at the same time, start using a pigment inhibitor such to suppress pigment formation. For the pigment that is already present, your best option is to have a few treatments to help you remove as much of this as possible. A combination of chemical peels and some transdermal mesotherapy can certainly help you (this also depends on how severe the problem is – so having a one on one consultation is always best).