Tranexamic acid, a medicine against pigment spots

Tranexamic acid is a prescription drug given to adult patients with persistent melasma and those with dark circles under the eyes due to excessive pigment production.

How Does Tranexamic Acid Work?

Tranexamic acid belongs to the group of antifibrinolytics or blood coagulants. Tranexamic acid is usually used to treat and stimulate bleeding. Think of heavy periods or after surgery or tooth extraction in patients with the blood clotting disease such as hemophilia A and B.
Tranexamic acid is also used more in the treatment of melasma. The dose used is up to six times lower than the above indications. However, the exact mechanism of action of tranexamic acid for treating melasma is not known. This drug is believed to inhibit the tyrosinase enzyme in the pigment cells and thereby slow or prevent pigment production. It helps reducing dark spots More about pigment cells (melanocytes)

How do you take this medication?

In persistent forms of melasma, the dose is 250 mg (half a 500 mg tablet) twice a day for a period of up to 6 months. The score line is there to allow the tablet to be broken to give you two half tablets of 250 mg each. It is best to take the tablet after a meal to prevent nausea. The tablet should be swallowed whole with a glass of water. More about melasma

Timing is important, the greatest pigment contrast, difference between dark and light areas on the skin, is greatest in the spring and summer period. That’s because the strong sun power is. Treatment is often requested and initiated most often during this period.

Not suitable for pregnant women, breastfeeding, people with thrombosis or similar medical coagulation problems, kidney function disorders.

When will you see results?

The dark spots will become increasingly lighter during the course of treatment. You can already expect these whitening effects after 1 or 2 months after the start of the treatment. The degree of bleaching varies from person to person and ranges from slight bleaching to complete disappearance. However, after stopping the treatment, a possibility exists that the spots will return. Protect your skin from the sun when you are taking tranexamic acid. Use at least SPF30 sunscreen.

About tranexamic acid side effects

Other pigmentation treatment advice

Below are some tips on how to treat pigmentation spots:

During the day, use mineral sun protection with a minimum of SPF30 and cosmetic ingredients that reduce pigment spots. There are also some cosmetic skin care ingredients that can boost your skin such as Vitamin A, C, E, Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide), Arbutin, Kojic Acid, Resveratrol, hydroquinone, aloe vera, emblica and licorice root.

Iconic Elements Spotreducer and Targeted Pigment serum can support you in the treatment against pigmentation spots.

There is also camouflage therapy. When pigment spots are very dark, make-up may not conceal it sufficiently. The skin therapist can use camouflage therapy to make color creams that match your skin to cover your pigmentation spots.

Another option is chemical peeling. The peeling is done under the supervision of a skin specialist and stimulates the skin to flake off faster and to renew itself. As a result, spots will fade faster and pigment will become lighter. People with dark skin I recommend a light chemical peeling to prevent unwanted skin irritation, which in turn can lead to pigment spots. We call this postinflammatory hyperpigmentation. Let your skin therapist advise you.

While you are here

In the spring and summer months, white spots on your skin are more noticeable. This is because the unaffected skin part darkens and white spots color much more slowly or not at all. A white spot self-diagnosis is often labeled as vitiligo. But there are other skin conditions that can cause white spots. Unlike dark pigment spots, where pigment cells (melanocytes) produce more pigment, white spots contain less or no pigment in the skin. As with dark spots, white spots are also perceived as cosmetically disturbing. More about white spots