Hyperpigmentation Or Melasma? Everything You Need To Know

Hyperpigmentation is a common skin condition, which presents itself as dark spots on the skin and is caused by a multitude of factors. Whether you have post-blemish scarring, freckles, sunspots or skin discolouration caused by conditions like eczema, patches of uneven skin tone generally all fall under the umbrella of hyperpigmentation. However, melasma is a slightly different form of pigmentation, which is important to understand when trying to treat it.

What Is Hyperpigmentation?

The term hyperpigmentation typically refers to discolouration on the skin that is darker than your natural skin pigment. Hyperpigmentation can be an incredibly frustrating skin condition to have, as it can easily appear and can be difficult to remove. Skin pigmentation can manifest in the form of sunspots, dark patches or scarring, vary in size and can appear anywhere on the body but most commonly on the face and décolletage. These darker patches of skin are caused by an excess production of melanin, which is the pigment that gives skin its colour.

One of the most common forms of pigmentation are sunspots. This is caused by excessive sun exposure over time and usually will appear on areas of the body that are regularly exposed to the sun such as your hands, chest and décolletage, face and shoulders. Sunspots caused by sun exposure tend to be more apparent as you age. Another common form of pigmentation is scarring as a result of skin trauma or inflammation, such as acne scarring, psoriasis or eczema. However, one of the prevalent forms of hyperpigmentation, particularly in women and darker skin tones, is melasma.

What Is Melasma?

Melasma can be triggered by UV exposure; however, it is often caused by hormonal imbalances and shifts, distinguishing it from traditional hyperpigmentation. Melasma develops in response to rapid hormonal changes, which in turn triggers increased melanocyte activity and a greater production of melanin. Due to this, melasma is most common in pregnant women and those undergoing hormonal therapies such as oral contraceptives. It can be identified by its appearance alone as it resembles gray-brown patches, usually on the cheeks, bridge of the nose, forehead, chin, and above the upper lip.

Further to this, Melasma is tricky to treat in comparison to hyperpigmentation, as it does not respond as well or as consistently to topical skincare products such as chemical peels, retinol or vitamin C serums.

The Solution Is PicoSure

Melasma is traditionally difficult to improve, until now. PicoSure offers vast improvements to the appearance of melasma by non-invasively stimulating the body’s internal renewal processes to prompt the body to naturally replace the affected skin for a smoother, more even toned appearance. The PicoSure difference is our patented PressureWave™ Technology, which delivers ultra-targeted powerful beams of energy to deeply penetrate the skin and clear away damaged skin tissue.

Unlike topical creams and lotions, which require daily application to show even the most minimal of results, PicoSure is FDA cleared and TGA listed, with treatments only typically lasting 15-20 minutes.

Begin your journey to clearer skin by locating your nearest PicoSure provider on our website.