PIH is a type of hyperpigmentation of the skin that is mainly triggered by the way skin regenerates after inflammation. It can affect the face and body, especially UV-exposed areas, and appears as flat spots of hyper-colouration. These range in colour from pink to red, brown or black, depending on skin tone and the depth of hyper-colouration. The root cause is increased melanin production, the pigment that defines the colour of a person’s skin, which is stimulated by inflammatory factors. The blemish triggers melanocytes – the melanin-producing cells – to release excessive melanosomes (pigment granules). The excessive pigment granules darken and discolour the formerly stressed area. Once initial blemishes have subsided, spots of hyper-colouration, so-called post-acne marks, can remain.

Most acne-related PIH will eventually fade over time, but it can take several years or even a decade until it is fully gone. We therefore recommend our Eucerin DermoPurifyer range to help reduce the visibility of post-acne marks.

PIH is mainly triggered by the way skin regenerates after an inflammation. To prevent it, though there are no guarantees, avoid picking at or pressing your pimples. Using an effective cleanser with ingredients that can help reduce blemishes can also be effective. We recommend the Eucerin® DermoPurifyer Triple Effect Cleansing Gel.

Additionally, sun exposure can aggravate PIH symptoms, so we recommend sun protection. Limit the time you spend in the sun and keep out of the sun during its most intense hours. Wear protective clothing and sun hats whenever possible and apply a sun protection factor of at least 30, to protect marks from darkening and help prevent new marks from appearing by using specialized skincare like Eucerin Pigment Control Sun Fluid SPF50+.