Hyperpigmentation: everything you need to know

Did you know that dull, discoloured skin can trump fine lines and wrinkles as the number one indicator of skin ageing? Hyperpigmentation is one of those conditions that can materialise out of nowhere – one day you’re basking in the sun, the next you’re plagued with age spots of every shape and size. But whether you’re battling melasma, sun damage or dark spots left behind from breakouts, understanding the condition – its triggers and aggravators – is ultimately the key to preventing pigmentation irregularities and choosing an effective course of treatment.

What is hyperpigmentation?

Before we go any further, let's first understand exactly how hyperpigmentation is formed. Areas of patchy skin tone are caused by an overproduction of melanin, formed beneath surface level in skin cells called melanocytes. When triggered by different lifestyle or environmental factors (e.g. UV rays), an enzyme within this cell named tyrosinase goes into overdrive, producing an excess of melanin in a localised area of skin. The result? Uneven, patchy areas of skin tone. Freckles, age spots and post-acne marks are all examples of hyperpigmentation.

While it can affect anyone at any given time in their lives, it is most commonly seen in medium to deeper skin tones. This is because melanin is much more present in darker skin, and therefore much more susceptible to irregularity. Although the condition is considered harmless, it can cause significant distress to those inflicted as it tends to affect areas of skin that are consistently exposed to the environment such as the face, hands and decolletage.

There are many different forms of hyperpigmentation, but for the most part they can be divided into three categories:

1. Hormonal

When oestrogen is elevated above a normal level, it can lead to a condition known as melasma that causes large areas of skin to darken. This is why many women notice flat, dark patches of skin developing during their pregnancy or after starting the contraceptive pill. In fact, it affects so many pregnant women (up to 90%) that it has been colloquially termed the mask of pregnancy. The good news for melasma sufferers is that the condition can often resolve itself once oestrogen levels have been rectified – after birth or after coming off hormonal contraceptives for instance. The bad news? It can take anywhere from a couple of months to a few years to fade entirely.

2. Inflammatory

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is what occurs after a pimple or bite has finished healing. It is essentially the skin’s natural response to any injury that causes the skin to become inflamed. As the inflammation subsides and the lesion begins to heal, the skin can often produce too much melanin causing the formerly-damaged skin to darken. PIH will improve over time, even if it’s left untreated, but this can take anywhere from three months to three years depending on the severity of the pigmentation. Generally speaking, the more inflammation there is, the more significant the PIH will be.

3. Sun-induced

This typically refers to age spots (or liver spots as they are otherwise known). This kind of hyperpigmentation is caused by sun damage. Despite the name, age has nothing to do with the condition. Anyone can be affected at any point in their lives. Interestingly, age spots do not necessarily appear at the same time that the skin is afflicted. Oftentimes you will find that sun damage accumulated in the 20s can start to surface in the 30s or 40s, which is why it’s imperative to use sunscreen every day from an early age.

How can you prevent hyperpigmentation?

All cases of hyperpigmentation are worsened by sun exposure, so proper suncare is an absolute essential. Wearing a daily broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or above is the best way to keep uneven pigmentation at bay. Protective clothing such as sun hats and sunglasses should also be worn to enhance protection, and you should aim to seek out shade wherever possible. For those who are prone to blemishes, it’s important not to pick at the skin. Even when an extraction is performed correctly, it can still deepen the inflammation of a pimple increasing the likelihood of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Medik8's approach to hyperpigmentation

At Medik8, we are very aware that this is a top concern for many of our customers, therefore we have 3 key steps to addressing signs of hyperpigmentation:

1) PREVENT

2) BLOCK

3) FADE

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