The Glam skin Clinic

Pigmentation Is Not a Cosmetic Issue, It’s a Medical Condition With 7 Types

Pigmentation is something almost everyone struggles with, dark patches, uneven tone, and stubborn spots that refuse to fade. Most people treat it like a beauty issue, trying home remedies, bleaching, fairness creams, or quick salon facials. But here’s the real truth: pigmentation is not cosmetic. It’s a medical condition, and it comes in different types.
And unless you know which type you have, nothing you apply will work, in fact, it may get worse.
Pigmentation behaves differently in Indian skin. Heat, sunlight, hormones, stress, and inflammation all trigger pigment cells quickly. That’s why misdiagnosis is the biggest reason pigmentation becomes stubborn and long-lasting, even when people “try everything.”
Let’s break down the 7 medical types of pigmentation, why they happen, and why the right diagnosis matters before starting any pigmentation treatment in Chandigarh.

1. Melasma, Hormonal Pigmentation

Melasma is one of the most challenging forms of pigmentation. It appears as brown or greyish patches on the cheeks, forehead, upper lip, or nose.
What makes melasma tricky?

  1. It’s hormone-driven
  2. It worsens with heat and sunlight
  3. It often runs in families

It can look darker during pregnancy or with contraceptive pills

Bleaching, scrubs, or strong peels only make melasma worse, deeper, and darker. This type requires a specialised melasma treatment, not general pigmentation creams.

2. Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH)

If you’ve ever had acne marks, rash marks, or dark spots after a facial burn,  that’s PIH. Indian skin produces extra melanin whenever it gets inflamed, which is why PIH is extremely common.

PIH looks like:

  1. Flat brown marks
  2. Purple acne scars
  3. Spots left after scratching or irritation

    This type improves well with medical treatment, but only when the inflammation is addressed correctly.

3. Sun-Induced Pigmentation (Tanning & UV Damage)

Sometimes, pigmentation looks like simple tanning, but it’s actually UV-triggered damage.
You’ll notice:
A darker forehead

Uneven cheek patches

A neck that looks darker than your face

UV light activates pigment cells instantly, especially in Indian skin tones. This type needs a protocol of sun protection + brightening actives + controlled procedures.

4. Freckles & Sunspots

Freckles are an attractive feature for many individuals. However, it’s important to note that freckles are simply patches of colour in skin, due to genetics and/or exposure to UV light from the sun during your lifetime sun damage. Many people believe that freckles are caused by either “sun-spotted” skin or melasma or hormonal “mask” skin, and then proceed to treat them as such, often wasting time and money, because the causes of each type are completely different. To appropriately treat either type of skin condition, a physician must correctly diagnose the condition first.

5. Age-Related Pigmentation

As we age, pigment cells slow down and behave unpredictably. This causes:
Deep patches

Clustered dark spots

Sharp-edged brown marks

This type often needs targeted medical treatments like lasers or clinical peels, not over-the-counter creams.

6. Pigmentation from Skin Conditions

Dark skin patches can be due to various reasons, such as skin diseases (such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis) and fungal infections. If a person has one or more of these conditions and fails to seek treatment for them, the dark skin patches will continue to darken over time.
One of the biggest mistakes in treating dark skin patches is to only treat the dark skin pigment and ignore the underlying condition/disease that is causing it.

7. Medication-Induced Pigmentation

There is a wide range of medications available that may affect skin tone, such as Hormonal Treatment, Some Classes of Antibiotics, Anti-Seizure medicines, or medications that have a potential for Photosensitivity. The type of discoloration caused by these medications cannot be treated or improved with topicals, as they can only be addressed by a physician who will evaluate the patient and develop an appropriate plan to treat them based on their specific needs.

Why the Right Diagnosis Changes Everything

Pigmentation is sensitive, layered, and complex. The wrong treatment can make it worse.
Common mistakes people make:
Using bleaching creams → causes burns + rebound pigmentation

  1. Doing harsh scrubs → worsens inflammation
  2. Trying random fairness serums → damages the barrier
  3. Taking salon facials → irritation triggers more pigment
  4. Treating melasma with strong peels → makes it deeper

Pigmentation is one of the most misdiagnosed skin issues in India. That’s why a skin-lightening dermatologist is essential, to identify:

  1. the exact type
  2. how deep it is
  3. what’s triggering it
  4. what the right ingredients are
  5. whether you need peels, lasers, or topical care

    This is where expert-led pigmentation treatment becomes crucial.

How Dermatologists Actually Treat Pigmentation

A real medical pigmentation plan includes:

  1. Detailed skin examination
  2. Dermatoscope analysis (to check pigment depth)
  3. Identifying hormonal or internal causes
  4. Barrier repair
  5. Custom brightening actives (like azelaic acid, kojic acid, tranexamic acid)
  6. Clinical peels
  7. Laser treatments for stubborn patches
  8. Sun protection strategy
  9. Lifestyle + diet corrections

Pigmentation doesn’t go away with “lightening.” It goes away with precision, patience, and science.

Final Thoughts

Pigmentation is a term for a skin condition that requires your doctor’s attention, and you will find that there are 7 distinct forms of pigmentation and that the way to treat each type varies accordingly. Once you’ve identified what type of pigmentation you have, you can no longer be uncertain about the way to treat it, so that you can begin to treat it appropriately.
The Glam Skin Clinic begins every consultation for pigmentation with an extensive skin evaluation to prepare the optimal treatment plan for the specific type of pigmentation you have, as well as for your individual requirements. Because of this, every patient with melasma, post-acne hyperpigmentation, sun-related skin damage, or the like is individually and clinically treated by The Glam Skin Clinic, and our goal is to provide you with a long-lasting solution for your pigmentation.
If you are curious about finding out what type of pigmentation you have and how to manage your pigmentation, please meet with one of our experts at The Glam Skin Clinic.

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