"Pigmentation" has become a catch-all word that means three completely different things — and treating the wrong type with the wrong product is why so many people feel like nothing is working. Here's how to figure out exactly what you're dealing with.
Before you start
Why Does This Matter?
Because the cause determines the treatment.
A dark mark left by a healed pimple and a symmetrical patch of melasma across your cheekbones might look similar in a mirror — but they form through different mechanisms, respond to different ingredients, and have very different timelines. Applying a high-concentration acid to melasma can worsen it. Using a hormonal-pigmentation approach on a post-acne mark won't do much at all.
The more accurately you identify what's on your skin, the more directly you can treat it. Work through the three types below — there's a diagnostic tool at the end of this post once you've read through.
The umbrella term
What Is Hyperpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation is an umbrella term for any area of skin that has become darker than the surrounding skin due to excess melanin. PIH, melasma, and sun spots all fall under this umbrella — but they form differently and need different approaches. When people say "I have hyperpigmentation," they usually mean one of the three types below.
Type 01
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH)
What it is
The dark mark left after skin heals from any inflammation — a pimple, rash, insect bite, cut, or eczema flare.
How it forms
Inflamed skin triggers a protective melanin response. On melanin-rich skin — like most Indian skin — that response is stronger and faster, which is why PIH appears darker and lingers longer. This is not a flaw. It is the skin's defence mechanism working as designed.[2]
What it looks like
A flat, well-defined dark spot in the exact location of the original inflammation. Not patchy or blotchy — a specific mark at a specific site.
Timeline
With the right actives and daily SPF, PIH typically fades in 3–6 months. Without SPF, UV exposure continues stimulating melanin in the area and extends the timeline significantly.
Ingredients with evidence for PIH
- Nonapeptide-1 — a melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) antagonist that blocks the cellular signal which triggers melanin production at source, before the cycle begins.[7]
- Tranexamic acid — inhibits the UV-triggered keratinocyte–melanocyte signalling pathway. One of the most clinically validated brightening actives in dermatology, with multiple peer-reviewed trials for PIH in darker skin tones specifically.[1,2]
- Alpha arbutin — a stable, well-studied tyrosinase inhibitor that slows new melanin synthesis without irritating the skin barrier.[3]
- Glabridin (from Licorice Root / Glycyrrhiza Glabra) — inhibits tyrosinase and carries anti-inflammatory properties that interrupt the melanin trigger in sensitive skin.[4]
High-strength exfoliants and acids can worsen PIH on Indian skin by re-inflaming the barrier and restarting the cycle. Gentler, anti-inflammatory approaches consistently outperform aggressive treatments on melanin-rich skin tones.[2]
Type 02
Melasma
What it is
Hyperpigmentation driven primarily by hormonal changes — pregnancy, birth control, hormonal shifts — and strongly worsened by UV exposure.
How it forms
Oestrogen and progesterone stimulate melanocytes to overproduce melanin. UV light then activates this excess production. Because it is hormonally driven, melasma can fluctuate with your cycle, appear during pregnancy ("the mask of pregnancy"), and return after treatment if hormonal triggers persist.
What it looks like
Larger, irregular patches that tend to be symmetrical — both cheeks, the upper lip, the forehead, or the bridge of the nose. Blotchy in appearance, not spot-specific. It does not correspond to a single injury site.
Timeline
Melasma is the hardest of the three to treat. It responds slowly, can return after improvement, and benefits from a dermatologist consultation before committing to a product approach.
Ingredients with evidence for melasma
- Tranexamic acid — the most robustly evidenced topical ingredient for melasma specifically. Multiple randomised controlled trials confirm visible improvement with consistent use.[1]
- Kojic acid — a well-established tyrosinase inhibitor, widely used in clinical dermatology for melasma treatment across skin tones.[6]
- Azelaic acid — inhibits tyrosinase activity and has anti-inflammatory properties. Particularly suitable for sensitive or reactive skin.
- Niacinamide — inhibits the transfer of melanosomes from melanocytes to skin cells, reducing the visible darkening of existing patches. Well-tolerated on reactive skin with strong clinical backing.[5]
No brightening ingredient can outwork consistent UV exposure. Melasma treatment without strict, daily SPF — reapplied every 2–3 hours outdoors — is, in practice, treating it very slowly.
Type 03
Sun Spots (Solar Lentigines)
What they are
Flat brown spots from cumulative UV exposure over time — not a single event, but years of photodamage accumulating in the same areas.
How they form
UV radiation stimulates melanocytes and generates reactive oxygen species (free radicals) in skin cells. These free radicals activate melanin production as a protective response. Unlike melasma, this is not hormonal — it is purely photodamage.
What they look like
Small, well-defined, uniformly coloured brown spots in areas of consistent sun exposure — typically cheeks, nose bridge, temples, and the backs of hands.
Ingredients with evidence for sun spots
- Vitamin C — found naturally in Amla (Emblica Officinalis / Indian Gooseberry) — dual-action: neutralises the UV-triggered free radicals that activate melanogenesis, and directly inhibits tyrosinase enzyme activity. Amla is among the richest botanical sources of vitamin C-equivalent antioxidant compounds, with its brightening use in Ayurveda now supported by modern research.[8,9]
- Alpha arbutin — effective tyrosinase inhibitor that fades existing solar lentigines over consistent use. Stable and well-tolerated across skin types.[3]
- Oxyresveratrol (from Artocarpus Lakoocha / Breadfruit) — a potent tyrosinase inhibitor with stronger inhibitory activity than resveratrol. Clinical studies demonstrate measurable skin-lightening efficacy specifically for solar lentigines.[10]
- Niacinamide — interrupts the transfer of pigment granules to the skin's surface, reducing the visible appearance of existing spots regardless of depth. Measurable improvement shown across multiple clinical trials with consistent use.[5]
SPF prevents new sun spots from forming. Antioxidants and tyrosinase inhibitors address existing ones. The most effective approach uses both simultaneously.
The science
How Pigmentation Forms — And Where Ingredients Intervene
Pigmentation follows a predictable biological sequence. Different actives interrupt it at different stages — the most effective formulations work at more than one point simultaneously.
Tranexamic acid
Calendula Officinalis ✦
(MC1R antagonist)
Kojic acid
Glabridin (Licorice Root) ✦
Vitamin C (Amla) ✦
Oxyresveratrol (Artocarpus Lakoocha) ✦
(blocks transfer to skin cells)
✦ Found in Fika
At a glance
Quick Reference: All Three Types
| Type | Cause | Appearance | Ingredients to look for | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIH | Inflammation: acne, rash, injury | Flat, defined dark spot at injury site | Tranexamic acid, alpha arbutin, Nonapeptide-1 ✦, Glabridin (Licorice Root) ✦, Niacinamide ✦ | 3–6 months |
| Melasma | Hormonal changes + UV | Blotchy, symmetrical patches on face | Tranexamic acid, kojic acid, azelaic acid, Niacinamide ✦, Nonapeptide-1 ✦ | Slow — ongoing; strict SPF essential |
| Sun Spots | Cumulative UV / photodamage | Small, round brown spots on sun-exposed areas | Vitamin C, alpha arbutin, Amla (Emblica Officinalis) ✦, Oxyresveratrol (Artocarpus Lakoocha) ✦, Niacinamide ✦ | Gradual — consistent use over months |
| ✦ Found in Fika | ||||
For Indian skin
What Most Indian Skin Is Actually Dealing With
The most common concern we hear about is PIH — dark marks that appear after breakouts and take months to fade. This is entirely consistent with how melanin-rich skin works. Melanocytes in darker skin tones are more reactive, produce more melanin in response to inflammation, and take longer to wind down after the trigger is resolved.
Fika was formulated specifically with this in mind — combining ingredients that work across multiple stages of the pigmentation cycle. You'll find Nonapeptide-1 (MC1R antagonist), glabridin from Glycyrrhiza Glabra, Amla (Emblica Officinalis), Niacinamide, Oxyresveratrol from Artocarpus Lakoocha, Hippophae Rhamnoides (sea buckthorn), and Calendula Officinalis — each with a distinct, evidence-backed role at a different point in the melanin pathway shown in the diagram above.
On the Ayurvedic foundation
Fika contains all three fruits of Triphala — Terminalia Chebula (haritaki), Terminalia Bellerica (bibhitaki), and Emblica Officinalis (amla). Triphala is one of Ayurveda's most enduring formulations, used for centuries in India for skin renewal and clarity. Each fruit carries documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Their inclusion is intentional — not decorative.
Applies to all three types
The One Thing That Applies to All Three
Regardless of which type you're dealing with, daily SPF is not optional. UV exposure is the common thread that triggers new pigmentation, sustains existing pigmentation, and quietly reverses whatever progress a brightening serum is making. Wearing SPF every morning — and reapplying if you're outdoors — is the single highest-leverage step alongside any treatment you choose.
Not sure if Fika is right for your skin? Read the full Fika page → or browse our FAQ → for answers about ingredients, timelines, and routine layering.
Diagnostic tool
Now You've Read It — Which Type Do You Have?
Answer three questions in order.
Start here
You have a dark spot or patch on your skin.
Question 1
Is it in the exact spot where you had a pimple, rash, or injury?
Yes
Post-Inflammatory
Hyperpigmentation
(PIH)
No
Continue to Question 2
Question 2
Are the patches symmetrical — both cheeks, upper lip, or forehead?
Yes
Melasma
No
Continue to Question 3
Question 3
Has it appeared gradually in sun-exposed areas, with no injury history?
Yes
Sun Spots
(Solar Lentigines)
None apply
Consider consulting a dermatologist for a precise diagnosis.
References
- Na JI, Choi SY, Yang SH, et al. Effect of tranexamic acid on melasma: a clinical trial with histological evaluation. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2013;27(8):1035–9.
- Davis EC, Callender VD. Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation: a review of the epidemiology, clinical features, and treatment options in skin of color. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2010;3(7):20–31.
- Sugimoto K, Nishimura T, Nomura K, et al. Inhibitory effects of alpha-arbutin on melanin synthesis in cultured human melanoma cells. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2004;50(2):147–51.
- Yokota T, Nishio H, Kubota Y, Mizoguchi M. The inhibitory effect of glabridin from licorice extracts on melanogenesis and inflammation. Pigment Cell Res. 1998;11(6):355–61.
- Hakozaki T, Minwalla L, Zhuang J, et al. The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer. Br J Dermatol. 2002;147(1):20–31.
- Lim JT. Treatment of melasma using kojic acid in a gel containing hydroquinone and glycolic acid. Dermatology. 1999;199(3):243–7.
- Slominski A, Tobin DJ, Shibahara S, Wortsman J. Melanin pigmentation in mammalian skin and its hormonal regulation. Physiol Rev. 2004;84(4):1155–228.
- Pullar JM, Carr AC, Vissers MCM. The roles of vitamin C in skin health. Nutrients. 2017;9(8):866.
- Krishnaveni M, Mirunalini S. Therapeutic potential of Phyllanthus emblica (amla): the ayurvedic wonder. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 2010;21(1):93–105.
- Tengamnuay P, Pengrungruangwong K, Pheansri I, Likhitwitayawuid K. Artocarpus lakoocha heartwood extract as a novel cosmetic ingredient: evaluation of in vitro anti-tyrosinase and in vivo skin whitening activities. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2006;28(4):269–76.