Skin Pigmentation: A Field Guide to the Spots, Patches and Marks That Won’t Quit

In short, it's your skin colour, made by melanin. When we moan about it, we mean hyperpigmentation, which is just excess melanin sitting in patches or spots darker than the skin around them. Sun, inflammation, hormones and even friction can all tell your melanocytes to go into overdrive. The trigger matters more than the shade, because it decides how deep the pigment sits and how much of a fight you're in for.

Small, flat, brown, nicely defined. They park themselves on the cheekbones, nose, forehead, backs of the hands and chest, basically wherever the sun gets first dibs. Mine arrived in my early twenties, after years of treating SPF as a beach-holiday-only thing. My face kept the receipts.

Sunscreen is the constant here, and I mean every morning, not just when it's sunny. A broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher will stop new spots forming and stop old ones darkening. After that, vitamin C and niacinamide can help fade the surface ones over a few months. Anything raised, crusty or changing shape gets shown to a dermatologist, no debate.

Post-inflammatory pigmentation is the mark left behind once a spot, bite, scrape or waxing mishap has healed. Pink-red on lighter skin, brown on deeper tones, and always exactly where the drama happened. Honestly, it's the one that annoys me most. The pimple lasts a week; the mark has a six-month lease.

The good news is these marks tend to sit nearer the surface, so they usually respond well to topicals like vitamin C, niacinamide and gentle exfoliating acids. Stop picking, because every bout of irritation tells your skin to make more pigment (I learnt this the hard way). Keep any active breakouts in check too, or new marks will pop up as fast as old ones fade. And yes, sunscreen again, as UV makes these linger.

Melasma looks like larger, blotchy, usually symmetrical patches of brown or greyish brown across the cheeks, upper lip, forehead or jawline. It's strongly tied to hormones, which is why it loves pregnancy, the pill and other hormonal shake-ups, and heat and visible light can flare it too.

This is the one I'd be properly cautious with. It sits deeper, it comes back, and scrubbing it into submission or stacking strong actives can make it darker. Think strict sun protection (a tinted sunscreen helps with visible light), gentle brightening ingredients introduced slowly, and a good moisturiser to keep your barrier calm. If you suspect melasma, see a dermatologist. I live for a good serum, but some pigmentation needs a medical opinion more than it needs a shopping basket.

Tanning and uneven tone is the diffuse one: a general muddiness over sun-exposed skin, often with a tan line where a strap or sunglasses sat. It's the most forgiving of the lot. Tans fade as your skin renews itself, and daily sunscreen, a brightening serum and a bit of gentle exfoliation once or twice a week will usually get you there.

Right, the unglamorous bit. Skin renews itself roughly every four to six weeks, so any skin pigmentation treatment needs a few of those cycles to show anything. That means weeks to months, not days. Give a product eight to twelve weeks before you judge it, and add new ones one at a time, otherwise you'll never know what worked and what made you sting.

Pigmentation skin care isn't one-size-fits-all, so here's how I'd sort five popular picks. Patch-test first, check the ingredient list yourself, and remember none of them replaces SPF.

For general brightening and surface marks: Oziva Gluta Brightening Serum is my pick for dullness, a lingering tan or faint marks, when you want an overall glow-up rather than a strike on one patch. POND'S SKIN INSTITUTE Anti-Pigmentation Serum covers similar ground and suits early sun spots and light post-acne marks, used daily under sunscreen.

For a targeted routine: The Novology Pigmentation Reduction Bi-Phasic Serum and Novology Pigmentation Reduction Moisturizer are designed as a pair, which I like, because a set routine beats improvising. They make the most sense for more defined marks that won't move, with the moisturiser keeping your barrier happy while you treat.

For lighter, everyday use: Glow & Lovely Ultralight Gel Crème is the easy, no-faff option if you're after a skin pigmentation cream that feels light in humid weather or on oilier skin. Think maintenance, not a heavy hitter for stubborn patches.

If it's melasma, treat all of these as support acts and let your derm lead.

Know your type first: sun spots, acne marks, melasma and tans each need a different approach. Sunscreen every single morning is the one habit that makes everything else you do actually work. Give any serum or cream a full eight to twelve weeks, and see a dermatologist for melasma or anything that changes shape.

Dr. Vivek Joshi, an Ayurvedic physician, believes that while cosmetics and skincare ingredients can help with skin pigmentation, one particular food may also help — amla, or Indian gooseberry.

He said, "I would recommend using amla juice. I have been using it for many months myself, and I haven't experienced any skin issues."