Uneven skin tone, dark spots, and hyperpigmentation are among the most common reasons people seek professional beauty care. Understanding the type and cause of your pigmentation is key to choosing the right approach — and setting realistic expectations for how quickly and completely it can be improved.
Types of Skin Pigmentation
Not all dark spots are the same. The main types include:
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH): dark marks left after acne, skin injury, or inflammation. These are typically flat and tan-to-brown in colour. They usually fade on their own over time, but professional care accelerates the process significantly.
Sun damage / solar lentigines: flat brown or greyish spots caused by cumulative UV exposure. Most common on areas frequently exposed to the sun — face, neck, décolletage, and hands. These respond well to peels and brightening treatments.
Melasma: symmetrical, larger patches of brown or grey-brown pigmentation most commonly seen on the upper lip, cheeks, forehead, and chin. Melasma is hormonally influenced (often triggered by pregnancy, oral contraceptives, or sun exposure) and is the most difficult type to treat. Results require sustained effort and strict sun protection.
Freckles: small, flat, inherited spots that darken with sun exposure. Superficial and responsive to brightening procedures.
What Causes Pigmentation?
All pigmentation results from overproduction of melanin — the pigment that gives skin its colour. Triggers include UV radiation (the most common), hormonal changes, skin inflammation, heat, and certain skincare ingredients. The melanocytes (cells responsible for melanin production) become overactivated and produce excess pigment in affected areas.
Professional Beauty Procedures for Pigmentation
At iluexpert, we use a combination of approaches depending on the type and depth of pigmentation.
Chemical peels are our first-line approach for most pigmentation concerns. The Rose de Mer Coral Peel is particularly effective for deeper, more established pigmentation — it resurfaces the skin over a 3–7 day peeling cycle, removing pigmented surface cells and stimulating fresh, even-toned skin growth. The Easy Droxy Glycolic Peel and TIMECODE Retinol Yellow Peel are preferred for milder pigmentation and maintenance.
Dermapen microneedling combined with brightening serums (vitamin C, niacinamide, kojic acid) helps break up pigmentation and improve skin tone over a course of sessions. It is especially useful for PIH from acne and mild melasma.
Vita-C Age Protect Facial uses a high-concentration vitamin C complex to actively inhibit melanin production and brighten existing spots — with no downtime.
What to Realistically Expect
Pigmentation, particularly melasma and deep sun damage, requires patience and consistency. Here is what to expect:
Most pigmentation types: visible improvement after 3–5 sessions, significant improvement after 8–12 sessions over 3–6 months.
Post-acne marks (PIH): tend to respond fastest — 3–6 sessions often produce clear improvement, especially with consistent home care (niacinamide, vitamin C, SPF daily).
Melasma: requires the most sustained approach and is most likely to return if sun protection is neglected. Improvement is achievable but ongoing maintenance sessions are recommended.
The single most important thing you can do: apply SPF 30–50 every morning without fail. All professional pigmentation procedures will be undermined if the skin is regularly exposed to UV without protection.
⚠️ Note: These are professional cosmetic procedures for improving skin appearance, not medical treatments for skin conditions. For concerning skin changes — new growths, rapidly changing spots, or unusual colouration — consult a dermatologist before pursuing cosmetic care.
Book a skin consultation at iluexpert in Tallinn to discuss your pigmentation concerns and get a personalised procedure plan from our cosmetologists.
