What is hyperpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation describes any darkened spots or patches of skin. Almost everybody produces melanin for general skin pigmentation, or colour.
The prefix 'hyper-' means 'above' or 'excessive'.
There are four types of hyperpigmentation, with somewhat different causes:
You may have noticed that just one condition is caused by sun exposure.
However, this cursory list doesn't fully explain the sun's role in hyperpigmentation.
To understand this, we need to dig a little deeper.
The relationship between sun exposure and hyperpigmentation
Sunlight is a combination of many kinds of light. Each type of light initiates biological processes in your body.
For example, UV light has two predominant effects on the skin:
UV light induces the manufacture and redistribution of melanin—also known as a 'tan'.
UV light promotes the ageing of all types of skin cells, including the cells that produce melanin.
This is important to understand because sun exposure has a knock-on effect on all types of hyperpigmentation. For example:
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation can be exaggerated through sun exposure or even caused by severe sun damage.
Age spots can be hastened by the ageing effects of UV light.
The brown mask of melasma may be intensified by the melanin promotion of UV light.
The bottom line: all forms of hyperpigmentation can be promoted by exposure to UV light.
That's why part of the solution is to simply apply sun protection 365 days a year. Also, its important to remember, sunscreen is only one part of sun protection, prolonged high-risk sun exposure should be avoided and frequent re-application or use in accordance with directions is required for effective sun protection
Why sun protection is effective at preventing hyperpigmentation
Sun protection works by preventing energetic UV light from interacting with your skin.
It does this in two ways:
By blocking UV light from reaching your skin, e.g. physical filters such as zinc oxide (sunblocks)
By reacting with UV light and dampening its energy, e.g. chemical filters such as octocrylene (sunscreens)
Both sunscreens and sunblocks can help prevent the appearance hyperpigmentation.
Here are a few of our favourites:
