The £85 sell-out serum that fixes sun-damaged midlife skin
This is where the new Hyperpigmentation Serum by Skin Rocks – the brand founded by midlife skincare guru Caroline Hirons – comes in. It's designed to tackle age spots, which many serums claim to do. However, when we saw the before and after pictures of the clinical trials of the new serum at the launch a couple of weeks ago, there were collective gasps from myself and other editors in the room.
Hyperpigmentation Serum, £85, Skin Rocks
Hirons' 785,000-strong Instagram followers were just as keen to get their hands on the product, so much so that on launch day, one product sold every two minutes. The serum sold out completely in five days.
Clinical trials matter. This isn't just a 'test it and tell us what you think' method of trying out a product (these are consumer trials). Clinical trials are controlled studies on the effectiveness of a product, using accurate measurements by a third-party to test the efficacy of a formulation.
The serum is back in stock today for anyone looking for a potential remedy for age spots or sun damage (although it's worth noting it takes at least eight weeks to see the long-term effects of any active skin serum).
The £85 serum was four years in the making, driven by Hirons' own desire for a non-prescription remedy for her skin.
'Hyperpigmentation is a skin concern that is common as we get older, and particularly with women, who suffer from it much more frequently than men,' explains Hirons. 'Sun damage is cumulative, so if you tanned with barely any protection in your younger years, the sun damage from this can start to rear its head in the form of hyperpigmentation or age spots in midlife. Add hormones into the mix from contraception, pregnancy or menopause and you have the perfect storm for pigmentation issues in women over 40.'
The consultant dermatologist Dr Emma Wedgeworth frequently sees patients in midlife with sun damage that was likely caused in their younger years.
'The skin has a very long memory and pigmentation can develop many years later,' she points out.
'Even if you tan very easily or don't think of yourself as sun sensitive, excessive sun exposure is very likely to catch up with you at some point.' It's no surprise then that the serum has been a hit with Hirons' largely midlife customer.
What is hyperpigmentation?
'Hyperpigmentation is the over-production of melanin in certain areas of the skin causing the appearance of brown or black spots within the skin,' explains Wedgeworth. 'There are several causes of pigmentation. Some people are genetically programmed to produce irregular pigmentation with sun exposure, such as freckles in people with very light skin and sometimes red hair.
'Sun spots are different and will often present as brown patches which occur after repeated sun exposure over many years,' adds Wedgeworth.
'Melanin production becomes less efficient with sun damage and spills out, leaving a brown mark on the skin. Melasma is a type of hormonal pigmentation which is often seen in pregnancy or in women on the oral contraceptive pill. It frequently occurs in a mask-like distribution over the face and is often triggered by an episode of intense sun exposure.'
Another reason for hyperpigmentation is post-inflammatory pigmentation, which is caused by inflammatory skin diseases such as acne and eczema. This mainly occurs in darker skin tones as the inflammatory processes damage and interfere with the pigment production.
How can we prevent hyperpigmentation from occurring in the first place?
'This depends on the cause of the pigmentation,' says Wedgeworth. 'For example, post-inflammatory pigmentation occurs after inflammation within the skin like acne or blemishes.
So treating the underlying inflammation (for example breakouts, acne or eczema) will prevent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from developing. With many other forms of pigmentation – such as sun spots or melasma – strict sun protection is the key to minimising hyperpigmentation.'
This means using high factor sun protection which covers UVB, UVA, long wave UVA and visible light, and also covering up with clothing and hats.
Sonia's top picks for sun protection
Ultra Violette Preen Screen SPF 50+ Reapplication Mist, £32, Cult Beauty
La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVAir Daily Fluid SPF50+, £20, Boots
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