If you’ve noticed dark spots or patches of discolouration appearing on your face — or elsewhere on the body — you may be dealing with hyperpigmentation or melasma. Both are extremely common, completely harmless skin conditions and nothing to worry about medically. However, many people want to address them for cosmetic reasons, especially if new dark spots continue to develop or existing ones become more noticeable.
So, what’s the difference between melasma and hyperpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation is the umbrella term used to describe areas of skin that appear darker than your natural skin tone due to excess pigment. There are three main types of hyperpigmentation, one of which is melasma:
- Melasma
- Sunspots (solar lentigines)
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)
At Face Dr, our skincare experts have helped thousands of clients reduce dark spots, brighten uneven skin tone and achieve clearer, more radiant skin. If you’d like expert advice without the guesswork, we offer free online skincare consultations to help you understand your skin and choose the most effective treatment plan.
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What causes melasma and hyperpigmentation?
The main difference between melasma and hyperpigmentation is the trigger. All types of hyperpigmentation are caused by an excess of melanin, which is the natural pigment our bodies make to give skin, hair and eyes their colour. But what triggers this excess melanin varies between the types of hyperpigmentation.
Melasma is thought to be caused by hormone changes. This could be from hormonal contraceptives, hormone treatments or from pregnancy. In fact, melasma is so common in pregnant women that it’s been given the nickname “the mask of pregnancy.”
Other types of hyperpigmentation, on the other hand, are caused by different triggers. Sunspots are caused by sun exposure and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is caused by skin conditions like acne or eczema or from cuts and burns.
What do melasma and hyperpigmentation look like?
When it comes to appearance, melasma and hyperpigmentation can look similar. They both appear as dark spots or patches of discolouration that stand out against your usual skin tone. While sunspots and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation appear as small spots, like freckles, melasma can form in larger patches and blotches.
Every type of hyperpigmentation can form anywhere on the body, but you’ll most often see it on the face. Melasma usually pops up on the forehead, chin and upper lip. Sunspots appear wherever there’s been excess sun exposure—usually the face, chest and hands—and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation appears wherever there’s been a cut, wound, acne or eczema flare up.
What treatments are there for melasma and hyperpigmentation?
Luckily, if you don’t like the look of your hyperpigmentation, you don’t have to live with it. There are plenty of treatments out there for all types, including melasma.
Melasma is, unfortunately, harder to treat than sunspots and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This is because of the hormonal underlying cause that’s harder to fix. Pregnant women often notice that their melasma clears up or gets lighter once they’ve given birth, so it may be worth waiting this out.
For those who aren’t pregnant but are on a form of hormonal birth control, it may be worth looking into other non-hormonal options in case this is the cause.
Aside from these hormonal changes, the treatments are similar for all types of hyperpigmentation. These include:
- Over-the-counter products like lightening creams, serums and exfoliators
- Laser therapy or Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)
- Chemical peels
- Microdermabrasion
Which treatment is best for you will all depend on not only the type of hyperpigmentation you have, but also how deep the discolouration is and your skin tone and type. So, it’s always worth getting an expert opinion to help find the best option.
For melasma, check out:
Face Dr top pick:
You could also try:
For other types of hyperpigmentation, the three products above all work for sunspots and other dark spots but you can also try:
- Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution
- Dr Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel Treatment
Though it varies from person to person, there is some evidence that shows that laser treatments may be more effective for melasma, whereas peels and microdermabrasion offer the best results for other types of dark spots.
One thing that stays the same no matter what is the importance of sunscreen. All types of hyperpigmentation are made worse by the sun, as this triggers extra melanin to be produced, which can cause more dark spots to form or existing dark spots to get even darker. So, be sure to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least an SPF of 30 all year long.
Want an expert diagnosis?
Figuring out if your dark spots are melasma or sunspots can be tricky. But, here at Face Dr, we have skin experts who have years of experience doing just that. They’ve helped our clients find out exactly what type of hyperpigmentation they have and, most importantly, what they can do about it.
You can book a free online skincare consultation with one of our experts. In just 30 minutes, they can analyse your skin over a video call and recommend the best ingredients, products and routines to help tackle your hyperpigmentation.
Whether you’re looking into at-home products or in-clinic treatments, our team can help you decide what’s best for you and your skin.
