Pigment deposited in response to an identifiable injury — a spot, a burn, friction, a procedure. It is the mark the inflammation left.
Book an assessment →Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is the brown mark left after acne, eczema, a burn or a procedure. It is pigment, not scarring, and it tends to be more common and longer-lasting in Asian skin. The cause is controlled first; then sunscreen, topical lighteners and, where needed, gentle low-heat laser help it fade. See laser for pigmentation in Singapore.
Inflammatory mediators stimulate melanocytes, and melanin is deposited in the epidermis, the dermis, or both. Dermal deposition takes far longer to resolve because there is no natural route out.
PIH follows something — if you can name the injury, it is probably PIH. Melasma has no preceding injury and a symmetrical pattern. Treating PIH aggressively can cause more PIH.
The original insult and its timing, epidermal versus dermal depth, Fitzpatrick type, and whether the causative inflammation is still active.
Controlling the underlying inflammation comes first — treating pigment while the cause is still running produces a cycle. Gentle, non-thermal approaches are preferred in darker phototypes.
If the original condition — acne, dermatitis, friction — is still active, that is addressed before the pigment.
The consultation separates true pigment from red marks left by acne (post-inflammatory erythema), which look similar but are treated differently. It also checks whether the original condition is still active.
When procedures are used, settings are deliberately gentle. In skin prone to PIH, an aggressive treatment can create the very problem it set out to treat.
Fading is gradual. Daily sunscreen matters because ultraviolet and visible light darken existing marks. Picking or scrubbing the area tends to prolong them.
“If you can name what came before the mark, it is probably post-inflammatory pigment. The cause is treated first, the mark second.”
Pigment deposited in response to an identifiable injury — a spot, a burn, friction, a procedure. It is the mark the inflammation left.
PIH follows something — if you can name the injury, it is probably PIH. Melasma has no preceding injury and a symmetrical pattern. Treating PIH aggressively can cause more PIH.
The original insult and its timing, epidermal versus dermal depth, Fitzpatrick type, and whether the causative inflammation is still active.
If the original condition — acne, dermatitis, friction — is still active, that is addressed before the pigment.
No. Red or pink marks are usually post-inflammatory erythema, from small blood vessels. Brown marks are pigment. The two are treated differently.
Surface marks often fade over months with sun protection. Deeper pigment can persist much longer, which is when treatment is usually considered.
These sources describe mechanisms and general evidence. They are not a promise of any individual result; suitability is decided at an in-person assessment.
Every assessment at IN Eternity Clinic is carried out personally by Medical Director Dr Sin Yong at 9 Scotts Road, #12-01 Pacific Plaza. If the honest answer is that treatment should wait, you will be told that.
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