Pigmented skins are quite common and can be recognised as areas of skin that have become darker in colour. Birthmarks are generally included in this type of skin condition. Pigmentation can occur suddenly or can develop over many years.

One of the most familiar triggers for this condition is a hormonal imbalance which is usually caused during pregnancy or due to the use of birth control pills. Hyper-pigmentation [the increase of melanin] can affect the skin of people of any race.  However people with darker Asian, East Indian, Mediterranean or African skin tones are more prone to the condition.

The diversity of colour in our human skins is due to a natural pigment called Melanin. Without Melanin, our skin would just be a pale white with varying shades of pink depending on the amount of blood flow beneath the skin’s surface. Fair –skinned people produce very little Melanin whereas brown to darker skinned people produce a moderate to heavy amount of Melanin. People with albinism have no melanin.

Melanin is produced by special cells called Melanocytes that can be found in the top layer of the skin – the epidermis. After Melanin is produced, it distributes itself into the nearby skin cells. The production of Melanin on exposure to sun, or what we know as ‘tanning’ is essentially a protective response by the skin to protect the underlying areas from the harsh UV radiation. The longer you expose your skin to the sun, the thicker and coarser your skin will begin to look because of the protective accumulation of Melanin. Melanin absorbs these UV rays and serves as the skin’s natural UV protector. This is why darker skinned people don’t get sun-damaged the way paler-skinned people do.

However when your skin is repeatedly or heavily exposed to UVB rays, the melanin-producing cells lose their ability to distribute pigment evenly, so dark spots appear on the skin. In some fair skinned people, certain melanocyte cells produce more melanin than others giving us spots of pigmentation or ‘Freckles’.

On the other hand, pigmentation can result from inflammation, skin injuries (including acne, burns), genetic and racial factors, allergic reactions to products, stress and drug use. Sometimes, the increased oestrogen levels during pregnancy or during the use of the contraceptive pill stimulate melanin-producing cells that cause dark patches to appear. Many pregnant women develop melasma, also known as the "mask of pregnancy" - a darkening of the skin along the forehead, cheeks and chin. Some also develop a dark line between the belly button and pubic area, known as the "linea nigra".

Because the process of discolouration and pigmentation occurs over a longer period of time and has a deep cause, it is vital to understand that a long lasting and effective result cannot be achieved with the snap of the fingers. Adherence to your specific regime and patience is required.