Pigmentation Spots On Your Neck

Many women, and men too for that matter, suffer from this; a reddish brown discolouration on the neck. If you recognise this then you are probably the bearer of a skin condition known as Poikiloderma van Civatte.

Perfume and the sun
Poikiloderma appears to be caused by sun damage, and more particularly by the combination of sun and perfume use. It’s not so strange then that this is seen in men mainly on the jawline (aftershave) and in women predominantly on the neck. Unfortunately it is the neck which is missed when you are applying the sun cream…

How to treat?
If you have poikiloderma there are ways to treat it. The small red blood vessels and the pigment in the skin are treatable with laser or with IPL. Because the skin on the neck is usually so thin, care must be taken. Medical creams with hydroquinone (this ‘bleaches’ the skin) are less suitable for the neck area but may be applied to the jawline. Also helpful are skincare products with ingredients (e.g. glycolic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C and liquorice root) which can lighten surface pigmentation. Body lotions, creams and other skincare products containing irritating ingredients such as perfume should also be avoided. It was apparent after various studies that after stopping the use of products containing well known allergens (such as perfume), not only the itching and burning sensation subsided, there was also an improvement in the condition.

Prevention is better than cure
It all starts, of course, with prevention! Sun protection really is one of the most important ways of stopping poikiloderma. So, use a good sun cream (without perfume and alcohol) and don’t spray perfume onto your neck, instead spray behind your ear, on your clothing or in your hair. Also have a good check to see if perfume and fragrances are present in your skincare products. Sometimes it seems as though your product is unperfumed when, in fact, it is. Fragrances should be listed separately on the ingredients list because they are even more likely to cause problems. The main ones are Geraniol, Linalool, Citronellol and D-limonene. And this sums it up; always check thoroughly the ingredients list of your product and apply a layer of sun cream daily. In this way you keep your skin lovely, radiant and, above all, poikiloderma free!

Regards,

Jetske

(Dr. Jetske Ultee-Research Physician Cosmetic Dermatology)

You can also read:
Help with choosing your sun cream
Chemicals in cosmetics which, combined with sun, cause a skin reaction