14/03/2025
Age spots, sun spots, melasma or post acne marks, why do they seem to never go away?
These types of pigmentation - age spots, sun spots, melasma, and post-acne marks - can be stubborn because they involve deep-seated changes in your skin’s melanin production. Here’s why they seem to linger:
1. Pigment is Deposited Deep in the Skin
• Some pigmentation sits in the epidermis (surface layer) and can fade more quickly.
• Others, like melasma and deep post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), extend into the dermis, making them harder to treat and slower to fade.
2. UV Exposure Reactivates Pigment
• Sun damage is cumulative, meaning old spots can get darker over time if you’re not diligent with SPF.
• Even brief UV exposure triggers melanin activity, making existing pigmentation reappear - even if you’ve treated it before.
3. Inflammation & Hormonal Influence
• Melasma is often triggered by hormones (pregnancy, birth control, hormonal fluctuations) and worsened by heat and sun.
• Post-acne marks (PIH) are caused by inflammation, and darker skin tones may produce more melanin in response to even minor irritation.
4. Skin’s Natural Healing Process is Slow
• Cell turnover slows down with age, meaning pigment takes longer to fade.
• If your skin barrier is compromised, healing and fading take even longer.
