Melasma and Hyperpigmentation: Understanding the Difference

How the terms differ

Hyperpigmentation describes an area that is darker than the surrounding skin. Melasma is one cause of that appearance, not another name for every dark mark. Pigmentation can also follow inflammation or skin injury, and other changes may need a different assessment. The same cream or procedure is not automatically appropriate for each cause.

Looking beyond colour

A mark's colour, symmetry or location does not establish its diagnosis or how deeply pigment lies. A healthcare professional can examine uncertain changes and decide whether further investigation is appropriate. New symptoms or a changing mark should not be explained away as melasma on the basis of an online description.

Care without aggravating pigment

Keep cosmetic skincare gentle. A cleanser and moisturiser that you tolerate can support a comfortable routine, but hydration is not a treatment for the cause of melasma. Stop using a cosmetic product that causes burning or persistent irritation and seek advice if symptoms continue. Do not try to scrub, peel or bleach a patch away with household ingredients. Natural origin and a home patch test do not guarantee that a product is safe for your skin.

Protection

Sun protection is an important part of caring for melasma-prone skin. Choose broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher and follow the product's application and reapplication directions, alongside shade and protective clothing. Visible light can also contribute to melasma; a tinted sunscreen containing iron oxides may be useful. SPF alone does not describe visible-light protection, and no sunscreen guarantees that pigmentation will not return.

Discussing treatment

There is no universal cure for all hyperpigmentation. Melasma can recur, and procedures that irritate the skin may worsen pigmentation or scar. Ask which diagnosis is being addressed, what evidence supports the proposed approach and what the limits are. Do not start a combination of pigment medicines or change prescribed hormone treatment from a general page.

Scope

This information concerns cosmetic skincare and questions to raise with a healthcare professional. It does not diagnose pigmentation, prescribe treatment or establish that Dr Sknn offers a medical melasma service. A medicine or procedure should not be selected from an online description alone.