Hyperpigmentation TreatmentDark marks faded without creating new ones.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is the dark mark the skin leaves behind after inflammation — acne, eczema, psoriasis, an ingrown hair, a shaving nick, an over-aggressive peel elsewhere, or any injury. The pigment is melanin produced by the inflammatory response, sitting in the surface and mid-layers of the skin. It is more common and more severe in melanin-rich skin (Fitzpatrick types IV through VI) because deeper skin tones have more active melanocytes that respond aggressively to any perceived injury. The marks can sit for 6 to 24 months without treatment, and fade more slowly on darker skin.

Surface PIH usually clears in 6 to 12 months on its own; pigment that has dropped deeper can take years and resists at-home care. With a series of gentle Lira peels or Procell Microchanneling, most PIH fades 60 to 80% in 8 to 12 weeks. Melasma is different — see the melasma page. Active inflammation has to be controlled before any fading plan begins, otherwise the same marks keep returning as quickly as they fade.

PIH is what the skin does in response to inflammation — it appears as discrete marks where the breakout, eczema patch, or injury was. Melasma is hormonal and UV-driven — it appears as larger, symmetrical patches across the cheeks, forehead, or upper lip, often triggered by pregnancy, birth control, or sun. They require different treatment plans: PIH responds well to gentle peels and microchanneling once the inflammation source is controlled. Melasma is managed rather than cured, with the work paced across a long series and SPF as the foundation. The two are often confused and treated with the wrong modality — which is why the right plan starts with a consultation, not a product.

Most acne marks fade to the point where they are no longer visible. Marks that are surface PIH (the dark spot left where a pimple was) respond well to Lira peels and Procell Microchanneling, and home care with tyrosinase inhibitors and strict SPF. Indented acne scars — texture changes, not color — need collagen-stimulating treatments like Procell microchanneling across a series; they do not respond to peels. Active acne has to be controlled first, or new marks keep replacing the ones being cleared.

Yes, when the peel strength, the acid, and the pacing are selected for melanin-rich skin. Melanin-rich skin responds to trauma by producing more pigment, so an over-aggressive peel can create the exact PIH it was meant to clear. Every peel here is patch-tested and started gently, with strength escalating across a series rather than inside a single visit. The same caution that applies to melasma applies here — PIH on Fitzpatrick IV through VI is the most common corrective concern at KIAMO Skin, and the protocols are built for it.