How post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation differs in skin of colour

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is darkening that follows inflammation or injury. It may appear after acne, eczema, a scratch, a burn, or an irritating product. In deeper skin tones, even a small inflammatory event can leave a clear brown, grey, or blue-grey mark. The colour and depth vary, and the mark may remain after the original rash or spot has settled.

Sunlight and visible light can deepen some marks, while continuing irritation can create new ones. A flat mark is different from an active rash, a raised scar, or a changing mole, so diagnosis matters before treatment.

Treat the trigger gently: manage acne or eczema, stop products that sting, and avoid picking or scrubbing. Use broad-spectrum sunscreen and physical protection outdoors, reapplying as directed. A clinician may suggest a pigment-targeting ingredient, but introduce treatment carefully because irritation can deepen the mark.

Take photographs in consistent light if you want to track gradual change. Improvement can be slow, especially when pigment lies deeper in the skin; the priority is preventing fresh inflammation while the colour settles.

Seek assessment if a dark patch is new and unexplained, changing shape or colour, bleeding, crusting, painful, or unlike your other marks. Arrange review when pigmentation follows a procedure or product and continues to worsen, or when an itchy rash remains active.

Ask what caused the inflammation, whether the pigment is superficial or deeper, which ingredients suit your skin, and how to avoid irritation. Before a peel, laser, or other procedure, ask specifically about pigment-change risk and protective aftercare.