My Naked Face

Sharrons Pigmentation Journey

Meet Sharron - Founder of The Secret Garden Skin Clinic. The skin condition closest to Sharron’s heart is Pigmentation. Sharron has treated her skin with various in clinic treatments that have dramatically improved the appearance of her skin. If you’re suffering from Pigmentation, Sharron is here to help you, too.

My struggles with Pigmentation

Pigmentation comes in two forms – the type we do to ourselves by exposing our skin to the sun’s damaging UV rays and another type called melasma, which is usually hormonally driven but also gets worse in the sun. Either way, pigmentation can cause a lot of stress, especially since unblemished skin is perceived as a sign of beauty. You only need to look at how many filters people are putting on their skin to erase imperfections to see this.

My own battle with pigmentation started upsetting me in my 40s although looking back I can see the start of it much earlier. As a child of the 70s, I thought it was a huge blessing to have a dad who was Indian and, as a consequence, skin that was so rich in melanin I never really burnt. A gentle coverage in Hawaiian Tropic factor two and I could develop a rich mahogany tan in a few days!! In reality, my skin looked like old beaten leather, but, at the time, it was a fashionable look. Little did I know the damage that I was doing to my skin then.

The reality of having skin that was rich in melanin meant that my cells were super quick to react to UV rays and put up a protective barrier that is pigment. That pigment that was once even with age now appeared in patches everywhere as they served to protect my dermis from damage.

What made me look at treatments?

As I got older, the sun spots on my face made me feel so old. My skin was dry and even a layer of foundation didn’t even up my skin tone. I researched and researched to make them disappear but only after having spent a fortune of products I now know would never ever work and booking in my first treatment for Botox as one of my ‘solutions’! All the things I learnt shamefully by mistakes along the way!! However these learnings have changed fundamentally how I feel about myself. I no longer look in the mirror and dislike my skin and I can hold onto that healthy glow between treatments with skincare. Investing in my skin has changed my confidence completely and I’ve given up foundation completely.

What finally beat it for me?

I understand from my own experiences, and of course all the science, that getting rid of pigmentation takes time and effort - and never one treatment but a holistic 360 degree approach. It starts from the foundations of medical grade skincare that is then built on with treatments that directly target pigment. Treatments like laser, micro needling, peels and even some prescription items. It’s not easy to do and changes are seen slowly and gradually, a little improvement every skin cycle, but, as you can see from my pictures, it is very doable!

The best way forward…

The best advice I can give is: prevention is better than curing. The best way to prevent sun spots is by making sure you don’t put your face in the sun, unless you ensure that you are wearing sunscreen every day, even while you sit in the shade.

Ultimately my sun spots only came because I had too much sun on my face and I am genetically programmed to develop them.

So why did I launch The Secret Garden skin clinic? Many of us spend our whole lives trying to find our purpose, our passion, what fulfils and drives us, and it’s an ironic truth that what often leads us to that path is out own personal struggles. That was certainly the case for me!

Pigmentation and The Skin

The skin is our biggest organ and, rightly or wrongly beautiful, blemish free skin, particularly on the face, is considered to be a marker of attractiveness.

Hyperpigmentation is a very common skin condition, and describes the darker patches the can appear on the skin as a result of sun damage, hormonal changes, injury or inflammation (such as acne). These patches result from excess melanin production.

There are several types of hyperpigmentation, including melasma, sunspots, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. There are both products and in clinic treatments that we can prescribe in order to help you treat any areas of pigmentation you are suffering from.

Book your consultation today to find out how The Secret Garden Skin Clinic team can help you on your journey to healthy skin.