What is hyperpigmentation or Dark Spots?

Hyperpigmentation is a condition where small patches of skin become darker in tone than the rest of the body. Hyper pigmentation is caused by excess production of melanin - the natural pigment that gives our skin, hair and eyes pigmentation.

Melanin is produced by specialized cells called melanocytes and is stimulated by UV light. When skin is exposed to sunlight, melanin is able to disperse over 99.9% of the absorbed UV radiation causing the skin to tan and protecting the skin cells from damage. In some areas of the skin, the concentration of cells may vary - dense amounts of cells can create melanin “deposits,” causing dark spots. As we age, our cells become less diffuse and our skin becomes more susceptible to dark spots.

The biggest defense against hyper pigmentation is sunscreen. Because dark spots are generally caused by a reaction to the sun, sunscreen is going to help minimize that stimulation of melanocytes - preventing new spots and inhibiting existing dark spots from getting darker.