What are Tyrosinase Inhibitors and how do they prevent pigmentation and scarring?

With acne often comes scarring. This is called Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH) or post inflammatory Erythema (PIE) This is an over production in melanin, which causes a darker mark to show on the skin. It is the same process that happens for scarring, age spots, and pigmentation.

The differences between these 2 is the colour. PIH is brown or black and PIE is red. The difference lies in the way our skin produces melanin. Some people with a darker skin type product more eumelanin which produces brown–black scarring. People lighter in skin colour produce more pheomelanin which produces a more yellow–red

Tyrosinase is the enzyme responsible for the first step in melanin production. It is part of a conversion process that creates the pigment (melanin) to be transported to the top layer of your skin resulting in a darkening of the skin. It is a defence mechanism against damage (imflammation, picking and UV rays to name a couple)

I am going to talk about scarring in particular, but this process also happens from UV rays that causes pigmentation.

When cells have been damaged by the inflammation of a pimple, the Tyrosinase enzyme will send an excess of Tyrosine which will result in overproduction of pigment. This is what you see as a scar.

Research has established the best way to control an excess of melanin production is to target this crucial enzyme. The other reason we target this enzyme is it is only found in the melanocyte- meaning there are no side effects anywhere else when we inhibit it.

Tyrosinase Inhibitor products will reduce the enzyme Tyrosinase from over stimulating so there is no overproduction of pigment in the skin. We don’t want to stop this process from happening as the scar (or pigment) is there as a protective mechanism to stop harm to the skin, what we want to do is slow down the process and only have a melanin needed to protect the skin released.

The darker the scar the longer it will take to fade, so if we can stop it from being darker from the start, then it is easier and quicker to fix. Tyrosinase Inhibitors will correct hyperpigmentation and reduce it from over producing but it does require continued use.

Our skin has a memory and once it’s been damaged hyperpigmentation can come back, especially if the cells are left unprotected. Tyrosinase Inhibitors are not only for those who have Hyperpigmentation, but also for clients that have healthy, even skin.

You might have a beautiful, even skin tone now, but we want to make sure it stays that way. Using a Tyrosinase Inhibitor will help protect your skin and prevent you from forming hyperpigmentation and oftentimes hyperpigmentation is lying underneath the skin and will surface later-on in life. You can prevent this hyperpigmentation from happening or from surfacing altogether.

For pigmentation an important ingredient to go with your tyrosinase inhibitor must be sunscreen as this in UV ray damage is the 1^st step of protection.