Pigmentation Treatment
Identifying the specific type and cause of your pigmentation is the first step to treating it effectively.
Book a Pigmentation Evaluation
Noticed new dark spots or uneven tone?
Pigmentation can result from sun exposure, healing from a previous breakout or injury, or hormonal factors. An evaluation identifies which is driving yours.
Pigmentation that hasn't faded with skincare?
Some pigmentation fades on its own over months; some -- like melasma -- needs targeted, ongoing management. We'll assess which category yours falls into.
Pigmentation — dark spots or patches of uneven skin tone — has several distinct causes, including sun-induced pigmentation, post-inflammatory pigmentation left behind after acne or another skin injury heals, and melasma, a specific and more stubborn form linked to hormonal factors and sun exposure. Because each of these responds differently to treatment, correctly identifying which type you have matters more than the specific product or procedure you use.
Post-inflammatory pigmentation — the dark marks left after a pimple or minor injury heals — often fades on its own over several months, though treatment can speed this along. Melasma, by contrast, tends to be more persistent and prone to recurrence, requiring a different and more sustained approach.
What to Expect at Your Visit
We examine your skin closely, often under specific lighting, to characterize the pattern and likely depth of your pigmentation, and take a history covering sun exposure, any recent skin injury or breakouts, and factors like pregnancy or hormonal medication that are relevant to melasma specifically.
Treatment Approach
Topical depigmenting agents, used consistently over a period of months, form the foundation of most pigmentation treatment. Chemical peels can accelerate improvement, particularly for superficial and post-inflammatory pigmentation, when used alongside topical therapy rather than as a replacement for it.
Sun protection is not an optional add-on here — UV exposure actively worsens most forms of pigmentation and can undo months of treatment progress, so a properly explained, realistic sun protection routine is built into every treatment plan from the start.
Setting Realistic Expectations
Pigmentation, especially melasma, responds to treatment gradually and can recur, particularly with sun exposure or hormonal changes. We’re upfront that this is often a managed condition rather than a one-time fix, and we set expectations around gradual, sustained improvement rather than promising complete, permanent removal.
How We Evaluate
- Skin examination under appropriate lighting/magnification
- Assessment of pigmentation pattern and depth
- History of sun exposure, hormonal factors, and any prior skin injury or inflammation
Treatment Options
- Topical Depigmenting Therapy: Prescription-strength topical agents to gradually reduce pigmentation, used consistently over a period of months.
- Chemical Peels: Layered peels to accelerate improvement in superficial pigmentation, used as an adjunct to topical therapy.
- Sun Protection Counselling: Since UV exposure worsens nearly all forms of pigmentation, a properly explained sun protection routine is part of every treatment plan, not an afterthought.
Conditions We Manage
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes skin pigmentation?
How long does it take for pigmentation to fade?
Why is sun protection so important for pigmentation?
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