Getting outdoors is a national obsession, so it’s little wonder that pigmentation from sun exposure is one of the most common skin complaints in the country. But we can’t blame ultraviolet rays for all our brown spots and patches. Turns out, there are other reasons for discolouration. We grill the experts about the different types of pigmentation, where it comes from, and how to treat it in clinic and at home.
THE CAUSES
SUN
“Pigmentation is commonly seen in those patients who enjoy the outdoors, who love the beach, who spend time doing outdoor recreational activities,” says dermatologist and pigmentation expert Dr Michelle Rodrigues. We’re all at risk of developing dark spots; medium-to-dark skin types are more prone to “developing hyperpigmentation that is pronounced with visible light exposure,” says Rodrigues, because the skin is already creating melanin. On the flip side, fairer skin types are more likely to develop dark spots as a result of long-term sun exposure. This means that by the time we hit our thirties, pigmentation is likely to start cropping up on such areas as “the
