What is Hemosiderin staining?

Are you struggling with hyperpigmentation, discoloration, or skin spots in certain areas of your body? You may be suffering from hemosiderin staining.

Hemosiderin staining is a medical condition caused by the leakage of blood cells from blood vessels and its accumulation within tissues underneath the skin. Once this occurs, macrophages will break down these erythrocytes, causing various byproducts and iron to release from the disintegrated red blood cells and get converted into hemosiderin. Hemosiderin is a ferric, iron (Fe3+) hydroxide/protein aggregate and is most typically found within macrophages. The heavy buildup of hemosiderin in a concentrated area underneath the skin will result in hyperpigmentation upon the surface.Possible causes of hemosiderin staining could include chronic vein disease, cosmetic procedures, Qwo injections, extended periods of no mobility, severe traumas, or hemorrhages. If valve issues occurred within the veins, blood could possibly get backed up and begin to accumulate. A sedentary lifestyle could also produce similar results due to decreased circulation. Hemosiderin staining occurs most often in the lower extremities as it is a common place for blood to pool and collect. Injuries, hemorrhages, and cosmetic procedures are also possible causes of hemosiderin staining as they could cause blood to rush to the site of injury and accrue, resulting in the increased conversion of RBC derivatives into hemosiderin. It is important to be aware of possible treatments for hemosiderin staining like topical creams, laser therapy, and vein-targeted treatments. One study looked at the topical use of Lactoferrin and found a significant reduction in color intensity of hemosiderin staining from 9/9 patients suffering from chronic vein insufficiency. This shows promising results, but more serious conditions could call for laser therapy to remove discoloration. A Q-switched Nd:YAG laser was targeted at a patient for 9 treatments and showed great results in removing heavy pigmentation even 5-months post-treatment. However, if the hemosiderin staining was caused by a serious vein/valve issue, laser therapy and topical creams would most likely only be a temporary fix. There could be brief improved results, but the root issue of the staining by the vein condition would result in the repeated overaccumulation of blood. In order to fully tackle hemosiderin staining, the flawed circulation system would have to be addressed.Moving forward, tranexamic acid could be a great possible treatment option for reversing the heavy discoloration found in hemosiderin staining. Tranexamic acid is a synthetic derivative of lysine that inhibits the conversion of plasminogen into plasmin, an enzyme responsible for melanogenesis, creation of VEGF factor, and pulling in mast cells. By limiting melanin production and angiogenesis, it could result in improved hyperpigmentation. It has shown improved results in skin discoloration in patients suffering from melasma up until there was a second skin discoloration recurrence. Further developments looking at the introduction of intradermal injections of tranexamic acid for hemosiderin staining could be a promising therapeutic field of study. If you have experienced hemosiderin staining from any aesthetic procedures or Qwo injections, make sure to check out some of my amazing skin brightening products. My Botanical Brightener and Brightening Pads for Special Areas features our new EpHQuinone Technology, an innovative whitening complex combined with alpha-hydroxy acids and botanical extracts to improve uneven skin tone. In particular, the Brightening Pads for Special Areas also features 6%, 8%, or 10% hydroquinone options to successfully bleach your skin. Along with this, my Ultra Glow Peel Pads are a convenient method to achieve more evenly toned skin with its heavy mixture of vitamins and antioxidant benefits. Supplementation of these products with any of the previously aforementioned treatments would be a great strategy to properly manage any skin discoloration!Works Cited:Brizzio E, Castro M, Narbaitz M, et al. Ulcerated hemosiderinic Dyschromia and iron deposits within lower limbs treated with a topical application of biological chelator. Veins and Lymphatics. 2012;1(1). doi:10.4081/vl.2012.e6Hamilton HK, Dover JS, Arndt KA. Successful Treatment of Disfiguring Hemosiderin-Containing Hyperpigmentation With the Q-Switched 650-nm Wavelength Laser. JAMA Dermatol. 2014;150(11):1221–1222. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2014.1838Lueangarun S, Sirithanabadeekul P, Wongwicharn P, et al. Intradermal Tranexamic Acid Injection for the Treatment of Melasma: A Pilot Study with 48-week Follow-up. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2020;13(8):36-39.