Hyperpigmentation? Pigmentation? Hypopigmentation? Scarring? Discoloration? What Do All of These Terms Mean?

There is so much acne terminology thrown around out here, and it is sometimes confusing, so today, I am going to break these five terms down and explain them to you.

Pigmentation

Pigmentation seems like a big medical term, and it is often used by medical professionals, but it simply means the color of something; it is the pigment that something has in it. When talking about acne, pigmentation usually refers to a person’s natural skin color or the change in their skin coloring due to an acne breakout. Pigmentation does not infer something bad, it is just a reference to coloring.

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Hyperpigmentation

This is a type of pigmentation that is the opposite of hypopigmentation. Hyperpigmentation is when a part of the skin is darker than the rest of the skin; when a part of the skin is darker than the majority of the skin that surrounds it. Examples of hyperpigmentation are things like dark brown or black acne scars, blackheads, and age spots.

Hypopigmentation

Hypopigmentation refers to when a part of the skin is lighter than the rest of the skin that surrounds it. Examples of hypopigmentation are when someone has vitiligo or albinism. When these skin conditions develop, the skin turns white due to a loss of pigment. The skin can look as white as white paint, so it is devoid of color.

“Hypopigmentation is the loss of skin pigment or color. It may occur all over the body or be localized…In people with hypopigmentation, there is either a decrease in melanocytes or melanin itself. A decrease in the amino acid tyrosine can also lead to hypopigmentation. Melanocytes use tyrosine to make melanin” (Pietro, M. (2022, June 27). What Is Hypopigmentation. Medical News Today).

Discoloration

This term is generally negative. Discoloration refers to when the skin changes color, but usually to a more unattractive or unflattering color. Discoloration occurs due to:

The development of scar tissue from skin damage or injury.
Excess collagen protein production.
The presence of oxygen.
Fungal infections like tinea.
Bacterial infections like leprosy.
Skin rashes.
Skin necrosis from infections, bug, and spider bites.
Parasitic infections.

“Three species of lice are known to infect humans, which include the head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis), the body louse (Pediculus humanus corporis), and the pubic louse (Pthirius pubis). Each of these lice species feeds on the blood of the host, which causes inflammation, itching, and skin discoloration” (Meštrović, T. (2022, November 30). Parasitic Skin Infections. News Medical Life Sciences).

Scarring

When acne disappears, depending on how you treated your acne, a scar may remain. A scar is just a mark on the skin. These scars can take on different colors such as brown, black, red, or pink. Thus, scars can change as they heal, become more discolored over time. To reduce the appearance of scarring and skin discoloration, we must take good care of our skin and treat scars with natural, antibacterial, healing products like Barbara Frank’s Natural Herbal Lotion and Rose Beautifying Cream.

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