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Darkened Skin On Arms Due To Exposure To Sun. Suggest Remedy
Question: Hi..
My Hands became black, because i used to wear half sleeve shirts. its been almost 5 years they became black. please suggest me some treatment or soaps or cream to make my hands back to normal. and i could see that pores on my hands do not sweat and the skin became very rough because of over scrubbing while bathing.
My Hands became black, because i used to wear half sleeve shirts. its been almost 5 years they became black. please suggest me some treatment or soaps or cream to make my hands back to normal. and i could see that pores on my hands do not sweat and the skin became very rough because of over scrubbing while bathing.
Hi..Welcome to XXXXXXX
Thanks for sharing your query with us.
You seem to be suffering from photo damage as a result of UV exposure.To reduce and limit this , you can follow these steps:
1)Physical protection is the best protection till date against UV exposure.This includes using full sleeve shirts, umbrellas or hats to cover yourself from UV rays.So whenever there is an expectation of prolonged UV exposure , try to wear these.
2)Sunscreens : A broad-spectum sunblock with SPF 30 or above and having both UV-A and UV-B protection ,should be used before stepping out of the house. You must apply this 20 -30 mins before going out. Reapply after 4-6 hours .
3) Do not use scrubs or manual rubbing of the arms .This increases the pigmentation due to friction making the skin rough.
4)Take bath using mild pH balanced soaps like Dove,Cetaphil,Zyndet etc. Soaps are not used to reduce pigmentation ;however they can make your skin smoother if used as recommended.
5) To reduce existing pigmentation ,you may consider going for Glycolic peels with a qualified dermatologist once every 15-30 days for a few sittings and then maintain the results using the above protective measures.
6) Vitamin C orally (1000mg) per day for 3 months will help lightening faster.
7) For the darker areas, you may consider using creams having Glycolic acid or Kojic acid and Vit.C . The use of these in arms is limited because the skin is thicker and the quantity required is larger than the face.
8) Do not use OTC moisturizers before sun-exposure. several OTC products have photosensitizing agents and actually make the skin darker .It is good to use the sunscreen alone or if the skin is dry ,you may use medicated moisturizers like Cetaphil etc.
Hope this is helpful to you.I will be happy to answer any follow-up queries you have.
Best wishes,
DR.TANUSHREE BISWAS
Thanks for sharing your query with us.
You seem to be suffering from photo damage as a result of UV exposure.To reduce and limit this , you can follow these steps:
1)Physical protection is the best protection till date against UV exposure.This includes using full sleeve shirts, umbrellas or hats to cover yourself from UV rays.So whenever there is an expectation of prolonged UV exposure , try to wear these.
2)Sunscreens : A broad-spectum sunblock with SPF 30 or above and having both UV-A and UV-B protection ,should be used before stepping out of the house. You must apply this 20 -30 mins before going out. Reapply after 4-6 hours .
3) Do not use scrubs or manual rubbing of the arms .This increases the pigmentation due to friction making the skin rough.
4)Take bath using mild pH balanced soaps like Dove,Cetaphil,Zyndet etc. Soaps are not used to reduce pigmentation ;however they can make your skin smoother if used as recommended.
5) To reduce existing pigmentation ,you may consider going for Glycolic peels with a qualified dermatologist once every 15-30 days for a few sittings and then maintain the results using the above protective measures.
6) Vitamin C orally (1000mg) per day for 3 months will help lightening faster.
7) For the darker areas, you may consider using creams having Glycolic acid or Kojic acid and Vit.C . The use of these in arms is limited because the skin is thicker and the quantity required is larger than the face.
8) Do not use OTC moisturizers before sun-exposure. several OTC products have photosensitizing agents and actually make the skin darker .It is good to use the sunscreen alone or if the skin is dry ,you may use medicated moisturizers like Cetaphil etc.
Hope this is helpful to you.I will be happy to answer any follow-up queries you have.
Best wishes,
DR.TANUSHREE BISWAS
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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