by Christine Dunn, National Director of Education

September 15th, 2025

Your Skincare Pro Team – Where Science Meets Glow

Let’s be clear—hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation aren’t just aesthetic concerns. They’re biomarkers. Your skin is a highly intelligent organ, and those spots and patches? They’re evidence of inflammation, oxidative stress, immune shifts, hormonal imbalance, or cumulative photodamage. The issue isn’t just color. It’s function. It’s biology. It’s your skin’s current report card.


Whether you’re seeing stubborn sunspots, confusing pale patches, or a mottled mix of tones, this isn’t just about evening things out; it’s about decoding the underlying story and intervening intelligently.


So, let’s break it down with no sugarcoating and plenty of strategy.

1. “Age Spots” (aka Solar Lentigines): The Sun’s Permanent Signature

Solar lentigines are flat, well-circumscribed macules ranging from light brown to black. They result from the localized proliferation of melanocytes and increased melanin deposition in response to UV exposure. They're a histological manifestation of chronic photodamage. Repeated UV exposure stimulates melanocyte activity and damages DNA, leading to epidermal hyperpigmentation and dermal elastosis. Melanin becomes trapped in basal keratinocytes—so the spots stick around.

Truth Bomb: These are NOT caused by aging alone—people in their 20s and 30s can get them, too, especially if they spend a lot of time unprotected in the sun.

2. "Liver Spots": A Medical Myth that Won’t Go Away

The term “liver spots” is a throwback to 19th-century pseudoscience. Let’s be precise: they have zero correlation with hepatic function. These are solar lentigines, period. Using outdated terminology contributes to confusion and stigma—especially among the boomer generation.

3. Hyperpigmentation: A Functional Umbrella

Hyperpigmentation is not a condition—it’s a symptom. The skin produces excess melanin in response to something. Identifying that something is key to effective treatment. Here are the common categories of hyperpigmentation:


a. Melasma: Often hormonally driven, exacerbated by heat and light (including blue light and infrared). Characterized by symmetric brown patches on the face. (Hello, pregnancy mask!) Estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid dysfunction are usual suspects.

b. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH): Secondary to trauma, acne, eczema, or aggressive procedures. Dark spots follow inflammation—especially common in Fitzpatrick IV–VI skin types due to more reactive melanocytes. Key point to remember: “The longer you see red, the more brown you will see.”

c. Ephelides (Freckles): Genetically linked and UV-responsive, indicators of past sun damage and heightened melanoma risk in fair-skinned individuals.

4. White Spots: Hypopigmentation Isn’t Inactivity—It’s Damage or Dysfunction

White spots can be more alarming than dark ones—and for good reason. Hypopigmentation may reflect melanocyte destruction, inhibition of melanin synthesis, or fungal interference. Differential includes:


a. Idiopathic Guttate Hypomelanosis (IGH): Small, porcelain-white macules on sun-exposed limbs. Common after age 40 and thought to be due to UV-induced apoptosis of melanocytes and focal dermal fibrosis.

b. Tinea Versicolor: Caused by Malassezia furfur, a lipophilic yeast. Presents with fine scaling and hypopigmented or hyperpigmented macules, usually treated by a physician with topical antifungals to restore microbiome balance.

c. Post-Inflammatory Hypopigmentation: Following eczema, psoriasis, or trauma, melanogenesis may be temporarily suppressed, especially in deeper skin tones.

d. Vitiligo: Autoimmune-mediated melanocyte destruction. Well-demarcated depigmented patches. Often symmetric. This condition requires dermatologic evaluation and may benefit from phototherapy or microneedling + PRP in early stages.


5. Mottled Skin (Poikiloderma of Civatte & Beyond): A Sign of Chronic Damage
Mottling, or reticular dyschromia, often appears on the chest and neck. It includes a triad of: Hyperpigmentation + Hypopigmentation + Telangiectasia.
Mottled skin reflects cumulative photodamage, collagen degradation, and vascular fragility—all hallmarks of skin aging. To reverse this pattern, barrier repair and pigment modulation must be combined with vascular support.

6. Strategic Skincare: From Barrier Repair to Biochemical Intervention

Daily Broad-Spectrum SPF 40
Nothing works if you skip this step. UV, visible light, and infrared all contribute to pigment irregularities. Choose Pevonia’s Hydrating Sunscreen SPF 40 with Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide for full-spectrum protection, Withania Somnifera Root Extract to protect the skin against blue light emitted from smart devices, and barrier-restoring ingredients like Jojoba and Argan Oil.


Advanced Brightening Agents
Vitamin C helps even skin tone, fights free radicals, and stimulates collagen production. Choose Pevonia’s “C” Complexe with Oxyzomes. This potent, stable, water-soluble Vitamin C is encapsulated to maintain vitamin stability and maximize cellular usage.


Professional Facial Treatment Recommendations:

a. Foam-A-Zym™ Peel with Hyalusphere® and Retinol

b. Luminous & Oxygenated Skin: "C" Complexe with Oxyzomes

c. Luminous “C” & “Sea”® Mask Treatment


Tyrosinase Inhibitors help reduce tyrosinase activity, an enzyme responsible for melanin production. Choose Pevonia’s Lumafirm® Eye Contour and Lumafirm® Repair Cream. These light-weight eye and face creams are formulated with tree bark derived from the Chilean Boldo Tree, encapsulated in micro-liposomes for deep absorption to help equalize skin tone and illuminate the skin.


Professional Facial Treatment Recommendations:

a. Lacto-Flora Peel

b. Lumafirm® Lift & Glow Treatment


Chemical Exfoliation or Enzyme Therapy
Stimulating cellular renewal with ingredients like Glycolic Acid and Retinol helps with texture, evening out skin tone, and enhances product penetration. Choose Pevonia’s Resurfacing Glycocides® Cream, a triphase resurfacing cream designed for all skin types. Formulated with 8% Glycolic Acid and Hyaluronic Acid, this cream can be used as a nighttime serum under a moisturizer for normal to dry and aging skin or as a moisturizer in the evening for normal to oily and oily skin. Pair with Pevonia’s Hydrating Sunscreen SPF 40 for perfect protection.


Another option is Pevonia’s Micro-Retinol® Collection. This micro-particle-sized retinol penetrates the skin for superior epidermal reorganization and refinement results.


Enzymes like papain and bromelain offer gentle alternatives for sensitive and/or reactive skin. Choose Pevonia’s Enzymo-Sphérides® Peeling Cream. This smooth, creamy, gentle exfoliating cream can be used one to three times a week, depending on the skin’s needs. This outstanding formulation uses scientific technologies to encapsulate enzymes to keep them at their peak strength when applied to the skin.


Professional Facial Treatment Recommendations:

a. Foam-A-Zym™ Peel with Hyalusphere® and Retinol

b. YouthRenew™ Hydra-Glow Peel

c. Micro-Retinol Peel


Hydration with Low-Molecular-Weight Hyaluronic Acid
Water retention is vital for enzymatic balance and barrier repair. Low-molecular-weight Hyaluronic Acid penetrates deeper for structural support but must be paired with occlusive ingredients to prevent Transepidermal water loss. Choose Pevonia’s New and Innovative Power Repair® Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Collection. From cleansing to masking, serum, and triphase moisturizer, this collection encompasses all the support the skin needs to prevent conditions associated with dehydrated skin, like inflamma’ging and pigmentation.


Professional Treatment Recommendations:

a. AquaTight™ Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Mask Facial Treatment

b. Essentials AquaTight™ Hydrating Facial

c. Aroma AquaTight™ Essentials Facial


Pro Tip: Even the best treatments fail if they don’t correct the underlying inflammation, hormonal disruption, or UV habits driving the pigment production. If a spot changes size, shape, color, or starts to itch, bleed, or grow fast, it's time to recommend a dermatologist. These changes warrant a biopsy or dermoscopic evaluation. Don't delay diagnostics for esthetics.

What’s the final takeaway: Skin Doesn’t Lie—But You Teach It to Speak Differently

Pigment is the skin’s language of defense, damage, and dysregulation. Instead of silencing it with cover-up or quick fixes, decode it. Understand the story behind every dot and patch. Then intervene—professionally, strategically, consistently, and from the inside out. This isn’t just about clarity or glow. It’s about restoring function, preventing deeper dysfunction, and elevating the way you, as a trusted professional, approach skin health for each guest in every season of their life.