Brooke Moinet

To tweeze or to wax? That is the question…. Well, when it comes to your face if at all possible I would advise tweezing.  This is because it’s less stress on the skin. Waxing actually removes a layer of skin (and if you’re unlucky, more than one layer of skin. Ouch!) with the hair. This causes excess irritation, pulls on the skin,  and exposes you to a greater risk for hyperpigmentation. So, if you wax any part of your face, stay away from the sun! Believe me when I tell you I have treated several cases of hyperpig on the upper lip, do to girlies that get a wax and sun their faces soon after. A brown patch above the lip on a woman is not a good look.

Although it takes a bit more time I would go for a good tweeze, or threading, and even a good a laser treatment above the lip. Also, tweezing and treading has a much lower chance for error, because wax has a tendency to spread.

*Threading is another form of hair removal that uses a special technique with “thread”. It’s like tweezing, where it doesn’t harm the skins surface.

 Brown spots or technically speaking “hyperpigmentation”. What is it, How does one get it, and how do you treat it if you have it.

Hyperpigmentation is when an over production of melanin rises to the skin surface due to medication, hormones, post-inflammatory,  or sun-damage. Thus, creating brown spots, or “blotches” on the skin. This can be “permanent” or come and go as seasons change,  or when you expose yourself to the sun.

In some of my clients I have seen hyperpigmentation due to pregnancy (pregnancy masque), on the upper lip from tanning prior to a waxing, and most commonly on the sides of the face/cheeks from sun-damage, mostly due from increased UV exposure when driving. Don’t be fooled, “freckles” are also hyperpigmentation, it’s sun-damage, and it can be treated.

In my experience, the best treatment for this condition is hydroquinone of a clinical strength. This product is applied topically twice daily, after cleansing and prior to SPF/moisturizer. Sunscreen is a MUST always, especially when using hydroquinone because, it increases sensitivity. This is not an issue you want to make worse when you are trying to treat it, so wear a high level of SPF.

To properly treat your brown-spots or hyperpigmentation, go to your local Dermatologist or Plastic Surgeons office for a regimen. There you can recieve personalized care which may also include in office treatments to give this condition an extra kick in the pants.