By Liane Scior
Director of Education

When skin is actively inflamed, piling on pigment-correcting actives or increasing treatment intensity can prolong the very cycle that drives discolouration. For melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) and reactive skin, the more strategic approach is often: stabilise first, correct second.

Pigment is not simply a surface issue

Hyperpigmentation is often discussed as an excess-melanin problem. That is true, but it overlooks the signals that instruct melanocytes to produce and distribute that melanin in the first place.

In acne, dermatitis, friction, aggressive exfoliation, heat-related flushing or an overly stimulating treatment, inflammation can trigger a cascade involving prostaglandins, leukotrienes, cytokines and oxidative stress. These mediators influence melanocyte activity, including melanin synthesis and the transfer of pigment to surrounding keratinocytes. The result may be lingering marks long after the original breakout, irritation or trauma has apparently resolved. PIH is, by definition, an acquired hyper-melanosis that develops after cutaneous inflammation or injury.

This is why the client who is still red, stinging, flaky or breakout-prone is not always an ideal candidate for an intensive “brightening” plan. Their skin may need fewer signals, not more.

Melasma is a chronic, reactive condition

Melasma is even less straightforward. It is a chronic and relapsing pigmentary condition influenced by ultraviolet radiation, visible light, heat, hormones, vascular factors and inflammation. Research has found signs of oxidative stress and inflammatory activity in melasma-affected skin, and chronic UV exposure contributes to the oxidative stress and inflammation associated with sustained melanogenesis.

For the professional, this shifts the consultation away from the promise of a quick pigment erase. It becomes about reducing the triggers that keep the pigment pathway switched on.

A useful client-friendly explanation is:

“We are not only fading existing pigment. We are also reducing the daily signals that encourage your skin to make more of it.”

That distinction helps create more realistic expectations, particularly with recurrent melasma and with PIH in deeper skin tones.

Visible light deserves attention

Broad-spectrum SPF remains essential, but UV protection alone may not adequately address visible-light-driven pigmentation for every pigment-prone client. Visible light, particularly shorter wavelengths in the blue-light range, can stimulate melanogenesis and worsen pre-existing hyperpigmentation.

In clinical studies and reviews, formulas designed to protect against both UV and visible light have demonstrated better outcomes in melasma management than UV-only formulations. One study reported greater improvements at eight weeks in melasma severity and pigment measures with UV-visible-light protection than with UV-only sunscreen.

For Australian clinics, where daily UV exposure is an unavoidable part of life, photoprotection should be positioned as a central part of pigmentation management, not simply the final retail recommendation.

The stabilise-first strategy

Before escalating pigment-correcting treatments, look for evidence that the skin is not coping:

• Persistent erythema, warmth or flushing
• Stinging or burning with simple products
• Dryness, tightness or visible flaking
• A recent dermatitis, acne flare or sensitisation episode
• Barrier disruption following peels, needling, laser or excessive home exfoliation
• Frequent switching between strong active products

When these signs are present, begin by lowering inflammatory load. This may mean simplifying the routine, pausing unnecessary exfoliants, avoiding multiple new actives at once, supporting hydration and barrier lipids, and using a well-tolerated broad-spectrum sunscreen daily.

The aim is not to avoid all corrective ingredients indefinitely. It is to establish enough comfort and consistency that the client can tolerate a gradual, sustained corrective programme.

A practical treatment sequence

Phase one: Calm and protect
The first objective is reducing avoidable stimulation.

Prioritise a gentle cleanse, barrier-supportive moisturisation and reliable daily photoprotection. For clients with melasma or visible-light-sensitive PIH, consider whether a well-matched tinted sunscreen with iron oxides is appropriate and wearable enough for daily, adequate application.

In-clinic, favour treatments that respect current skin reactivity. Avoid treating redness, irritation or active inflammatory acne as an invitation to intensify exfoliation.

Phase two: Introduce correction gradually
Once the skin is comfortable and stable, introduce pigment-focused ingredients methodically rather than all at once. Depending on the client, this may include professionally selected options such as niacinamide, vitamin C derivatives, azelaic acid, tranexamic acid, retinoids or other evidence-informed pigment modulators.

The important clinical principle is tolerance before intensity. A client who can use a moderate corrective programme consistently will generally do better than a client who repeatedly inflames their skin with an aggressive one.

Phase three: Treat strategically
Professional treatments may have a place, but selection and timing matter. Melasma can be aggravated by procedures that create excess inflammation, and PIH has been reported after peels, intense pulsed light and ablative procedures. Melasma patients also have a higher occurrence of PIH than those without melasma.

This does not mean that treatment should never be performed. It means clinics should assess pigment history, skin tone, current inflammation, homecare adherence, sun exposure, previous treatment response and contraindications before proceeding. Conservative protocols, appropriate intervals and meticulous aftercare are often more valuable than chasing a dramatic first-session result.

What this means in consultation
Instead of asking only, “How dark is the pigment?”, add questions such as:

• What was happening in the skin before the marks appeared?
• Does the client experience stinging, redness, flushing or dryness?
• Has the pigment worsened after acne, waxing, friction, peels or previous device treatments?
• Does it deepen during summer, after heat exposure or with inconsistent sunscreen use?
• Is the client using multiple acids, scrubs, retinoids or brightening products concurrently?
• Is there a history of melasma, hormonal change, pregnancy or pigment recurrence?

These questions help distinguish a stable pigment concern from a skin-inflammation problem with pigmentation as its visible consequence.

The professional message
“Brightening” is often marketed as an active, corrective process. But for reactive, inflamed or treatment-stressed skin, brightness may initially come from restoring comfort, reducing redness and preventing new pigment stimulation.

For pigment-prone clients, success is rarely about the strongest serum or the most aggressive treatment. It is about interrupting the loop:

Inflammation → melanocyte stimulation → pigment → further treatment stress

Stabilise the skin. Protect it consistently. Then correct pigment with patience, precision and an approach the client can maintain.

Many of our skin clinics have achieved excellent results in the management of hyperpigmentation, particularly post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, using Hubislab skincare.

By first helping to reduce skin reactivity and restore a healthy skin barrier with the
Post Rays Collection, clinicians can then gradually introduce the brightening benefits of the Derma Max Collection. This measured approach supports consistent, progressive fading while respecting the skin’s tolerance and overall barrier health.

Of course, daily intelligent sun protection is essential to any pigmentation-management programme, and this is an area in which the Hubislab range excels.