Skincare

September 19, 2025

Why Pigmentation Keeps Coming Back and How to Treat It

Pigmentation is one of the most common skin concerns. Dark spots, uneven skin tone, or patches of discolouration can make the skin look unhealthy. To understand why it happens and how to treat it, let’s look at how pigment forms.

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by mukk

The pigment factory – the melanocyte

Pigment begins in a special cell called a melanocyte, found at the very bottom layer of your skin’s surface (the stratum basale in the epidermis).

Each melanocyte connects to around 30–36 neighbouring skin cells (keratinocytes).
Its job is to make melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color.

Melanin is packaged into little “parcels” called melanosomes, which travel along the melanocyte’s long “arms” (dendrites) and get delivered into surrounding cells.

This pigment isn’t just about looks – its main role is protection. Melanin shields the cell nucleus (where your DNA lives) from UV radiation and other damage.

What switches pigmentation “on”

Pigment production doesn’t just happen in the skin – it begins with a signal from your pituitary gland (a small gland at the base of the brain).

When your skin is exposed to UV light, the pituitary gland releases a protein called POMC (proopiomelanocortin)
POMC triggers the release of melanin-stimulating hormone (MSH).
MSH tells the melanocyte (pigment-producing cell in the skin) to start making melanin.
The amino acid tyrosine and the enzyme tyrosinase then set off the chain reaction that builds pigment.
Through a series of steps involving Dopa and L-Dopa, melanin is formed in two types:
Eumelanin (brown/black pigment)
Pheomelanin (red/yellow pigment)
Finally, melanin is packed into tiny parcels called melanosomes, which are transferred into keratinocytes (skin cells). These carry the pigment upward as the skin renews itself.

Why pigmentation becomes a problem

Normally, this is a healthy and protective process. But sometimes the system becomes overactive. The melanocyte has a very good “memory” – once it’s triggered, it can keep overproducing pigment, which shows up as dark spots, melasma, uneven tone, or a skin cancer.

Common triggers:

Sun exposure (the number one cause)
Genetics (your natural skin tone and genes like MC1R)
Hormonal changes (pregnancy, menopause, birth control)
Age (older skin tends to produce more pigment)
Poor nutrition (low in antioxidants and vitamins)
Stress, smoking, and lack of sleep
Harsh or low-quality skincare/makeup
Certain medications or ingredients that make skin light-sensitive

Removing Pigment Won’t Fix Pigmentation: Regulate Melanogenesis for Real Results

Corneotherapy treats pigmentation by regulating its pathway. It doesn’t remove melanin (the protective skin pigment); it guides melanogenesis (the process your skin uses to make and distribute melanin) step by step.

Why? Because pigment is not a flaw – it is there to protect your DNA. The goal is to make sure melanin is produced and distributed evenly and healthily, rather than in patches or excess.

Each stage of the pigment-making process can be supported or calmed with the right ingredients:

Melanin-stimulating hormone inhibitors – e.g., Sepiwhite
Tyrosinase inhibitors – e.g., Vitamin C, lactic acid
Dopa/L-Dopa inhibitors – e.g., licorice extract
Melanosome transfer inhibitors – e.g., niacinamide
Vitamin A (our preferred version is Retinyl Palmitate) – helps regulate melanogenesis overall, supports melanocyte health, repairs skin cells, and speeds up renewal

By addressing every step, you encourage balanced pigment production – keeping the skin protected, but avoiding unhealthy dark patches.

Pigmentation isn’t something to “erase.” It’s your skin’s built-in defense system. Problems arise when that system gets out of balance.

Through corneotherapy, you don’t shut down pigment – you guide it back into balance. This means healthier skin, even tone, and long-term protection for your cells.

Pigmentation Prevention & Repair Products

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Pre Cleanse Oil

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Phoenix Super C Tetra Serum

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Skin Intelligence Moisturiser

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Don't forget and skin sun protection

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September 19, 2025