What is hyperpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation is often represented through more familiar terms such as dark spots, sun spots, age spots or even liver spots. While they point to different causes, they're all a type of hyperpigmentation, which indicates an overabundant production of melanin. But what is melanin exactly? It is a natural pigment protecting our cells from UV damages and helping to produce hair, skin, and eye color. In excess, melanin can result in spots or skin patches on your face or body darker than your natural skin tone.
Hyperpigmentation can affect people of any age, gender, skin type, or skin color. The dark marks it leaves behind can be frustratingly persistent, but that doesn't mean they are impossible to get rid of!
What's causing your hyperpigmentation?
Several reasons lead to hyperpigmentation, but the most common types are melasma, sunspots or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).
Melasma
It is the most common type of hyperpigmentation, affecting women more than men as it is linked to hormonal fluctuation. It can, therefore, occur during pregnancy or menopause, as well as affecting people on birth control pills. Melasma commonly appears as brown or greyish-brown patches on the face, especially on the cheeks, bridge of the nose, forehead, chin or above the top lip.
Sunspots (sun damage hyperpigmentation)
Did you know that the more your skin is exposed to UV rays, the less capable it is of regulating melanin production? Sunspots, also called age spots, result in darker patches of skin on the face, hands, or chest. They primarily concern older adults or people who spend extended periods in the sun.
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)
PIH is especially common in people who experience inflammatory conditions, such as eczema-prone or acne-prone skin, or while a wound is healing. It results in excessive melanin production and leaves discolored patches of skin. However, it can also show up if you have a minor injury, such as an insect bite, burn, or scratch. Depending on your skin tone, PIH can appear anywhere on your body, ranging from white, pink, purple, purple-brown to black.
Less frequently, hyperpigmentation can be caused by medication or genetics: certain medical drugs can increase your photosensitivity, while genetics means that hereditary conditions may be at the root of your hyperpigmentation. In rare cases, hyperpigmentation can also be associated with underlying medical conditions like Addison's disease or certain types of skin cancer and may require medical attention.
Dr Ann'Laure Demessant, International scientific communication director at La Roche-Posay explains : “Whatever the reason for your hyperpigmentation, having marks on your skin can take some time to fade and hurt your confidence. It can even lead to psychological distress and lower self-esteem.” For this reason only, it’s important to learn how to minimize or remove them!
How to prevent hyperpigmentation?
Treatment and prevention are the winning combo to take control of your hyperpigmentation. The sooner you start, the better because, as time goes by, dark spots spread and are more visible.
Remember that sun protection is your first line of defense to prevent hyperpigmentation! Wearing sunscreen or skincare with daily SPF can prevent dark spots from developing while also helping existing patches fade. To know what sunscreen to use and when, we invite you to check our guide to know which one to use.
After that, preventing is often a matter of common sense: if your hyperpigmentation results from acne or eczema, you should treat the underlying cause and target your existing dark marks. If it's due to medication-induced photosensitivity and/or uv exposure, consider switching medications or increasing your broad-spectrum sun protection as an extra precaution. Last but not least, you should always avoid touching, scratching, or popping bug bites and pimples. Doing so will only exacerbate skin inflammation; we don't want that either.
Is there a method to get rid of hyperpigmentation?
The good news is that dermatologists have found that taking a three-pronged approach may be one of the best ways to correct hyperpigmentation! These are:
Slowing down melanin production
As you now know, melanin is behind the formation of dark spots , so logically, your first line of defence should be ingredients that help prevent excessive production. Niacinamide is a great ingredient that helps decrease melanin production and can be found in several skincare products!
Click HERE to learn more about how Niacinamide can help reduce hyperpigmentation.
Reducing inflammation
Inflammation is a common reason for increased melanin production, brought on by excessive sun exposure, acne, bug bites, or other skin injuries. The best solution lies in anti-inflammatory ingredients such as corticoids. Soothing an irritated skin and minimizing inflammation is important.
Exfoliation
Gentle chemical peels or face scrubs can help to reduce stubborn signs of hyperpigmentation as they remove dead skin cells, minimize pores and smooth away fine lines, revealing brighter and healthier-looking skin. A gentle exfoliation one to two times a week can definitely help!
What are the ingredients to look?
Recent studies1 conducted by La Roche Posay laboratories confirm that minor or superficial forms of hyperpigmentation, such as PIH, can often be resolved with dermo-cosmetic products. Many ingredients, such as azelaic or glycolic acid, are commonly used. At La Roche-Posay, our new Mela B3 serumuses Niacinamide and Melasyl.The first is a water-soluble vitamin, widely used in dermo-cosmetics and known for its ability to soothe the skin, strengthen the skin barrier, and correct dark spots. The second is a brand new ingredient designed to improve the appearance of dark spots. This innovation is an exclusive and multi patented molecule coming from our laboratories.
What about professional treatment?
More prominent or persistent dark marks and patches might require medical care. Various technologies now exist, ranging from chemical peels and microdermabrasion (deep exfoliating methods) to laser therapy and cryotherapy (pigmented cells being highly susceptible to freezing at temperatures of -4°C to -7°C.). However, those are medical interventions that depend on your level of hyperpigmentation and require professional follow-up. If you have any questions or concerns regarding one of those solutions, book an appointment with your dermatologist to find the proper treatment for your skin with a specialist.
How long will my hyperpigmentation take to fade?
As frustrating as that might be, there are no miracle overnight solutions. Yes, treating hyperpigmentation takes time; depending on the root cause and severity level, it may be weeks–or even months–before you see visible results. But let's not be too downbeat about it!
There will be some results by taking a proactive approach towards hyperpigmentation with the right products and some perseverance!
1 Efficacy of a dermocosmetic skin care regimen in reducing acne-associated post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation in subjects with phototypes IV to VI. Michael Benzaquen, Samir Salah, Margot Nioré, Delphine Kerob. 26 March 2024.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jvc2.408 .