Pigmentation is the uneven colour distribution on the skin’s surface. The term pigment refers to the colour of the individual’s skin. Pigmentation can manifest as freckles, dark patches of skin, post-blemish scarring, stubborn acne scarring or flat red or skin coloured spots most commonly known as sunspots.

Melasma, sometimes called the pregnancy mask, is the appearance of darker splotchy, pigmented areas on the face, caused by considerable hormonal changes or sun exposure. Melasma is harder to treat and slightly more prominent in people with darker skin tones. Melasma is harder to treat because the influencing factors are more difficult to remove from a person’s day-to-day life. Melasma typically appears as symmetrical blotchy patches on the cheeks, bridge of the nose, forehead, upper lip and chin.

Hyperpigmentation is different from pigmentation and refers to the overproduction of melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour, causing dark spots to appear on the face or body.
Vitiligo is the loss of skin pigment, causing white or pink patches of skin on the body or face, even inside the mouth or in the hairline. This condition generally shows up in sun-exposed areas first, such as the face, lips, arms, hands and feet. Other signs of vitiligo include premature whitening or greying of hair on the scalp, in the eyelashes, beard or eyebrows.