Abnormal pigmentation is the over-production of melanin in the skin, causing an uneven darker colour compared to the surrounding skin. They can occur superficially in the epidermis or deep in the dermis. However, most pigmentation is a mixture of both. Superficial pigmentations are easier to reduce compared to deep ones.

There are many causes and types of pigmentation. In women, hormones may play a large role in abnormal pigmentation production while in men, ultraviolet B rays from the sun are responsible for a large amount of pigmentation aggravation. Pigmentation can also be congenital – individuals are born with it. It may also occur spontaneously without any known cause.

Treatment of choice depends on the depth of the pigmentation. Superficial pigmentations like freckles can be easily treated with Medical Peel with I2PL while deep pigmentations are better treated with Micro-Laser Peel. However, one must be careful with certain conditions like melasma where there is a risk of worsening in more aggressive treatments.

Topical treatments like topical hydroquinone and SkinLab’s Whitening Skincare will also help improve the outcome of these pigmentations. It is important to understand that the pigmentations can recur and even worse in some occasions.