Pigment cells can change a person’s appearance, leading to color variations across the body. Unfortunately, they can sometimes work to your disadvantage as much as they do to your advantage. Here, we’ll look at what you know about them, and what you can do to restore your original coloring.

1. Pigment Cells Are Specialized Cells

Pigment cells are generally not a topic of everyday conversation, but they’re why your eyes, hair, and skin look the way they do. Also known as melanocytes, pigment cells produce the melanin that gives you your unique look. They’re also defenders of your entire body, because they help absorb and filter out the sun’s UV rays.

2. Pigment Cells Decrease Over Time

By the time you hit age 30, the sheer volume of pigment cells decreases somewhat rapidly. Every year, you can lose up to 20% of them! The fewer pigment cells you have, the harder it is to stop everything from aging spots to graying hair. Because pigmentation varies by person, and based on everything from lifestyle to genetics, you can get some pretty distinct variations from person to person (even from the same family!)

3. Pigment Cells React to Different Stimuli

There are ways to work with your pigment cells, whether it’s UV or light rays, so they don’t work against you. With an IPL photo facial in Brookhaven, GA, a technician will use a handheld device to emit a range of waves. By targeting different areas on your body, whether it’s an age spot or freckling, the energy will break down the coloring that causes the spots to appear. Once the pigment cells absorb the Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), your body can eliminate the energy from your body.

Pigment cells react differently depending on the person in question. Everything from your age to your daily habits can impact the final results. In addition, as new technology debuts, it’s not always easy to determine which device will produce the longest-lasting results. If you have questions about how an IPL facial works, the right aesthetician in Brookhaven can help you determine whether it’s the right treatment for you.