The treatment of acne and hyperpigmentation can pose a particular challenge in many patients, more so in skin of colour where the tendency to form hyperpigmentation is greater.1 Without appropriate precautions, attempts to treat the hyperpigmentation may inadvertently worsen the condition. It is estimated that by 2050, nearly one half of the US population will have skin of colour.2
According to the last UK consensus in 2011, 40.2% of residents in London identified as non-white,3 and 14% of the population in England and Wales is non-white. As the incidence and prevalence of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is likely to continue to rise it is important that aesthetic professionals, especially in and around London, understand how to treat PIH effectively.
Hyperpigmentation, especially when it affects the face, has a social stigma attached to it and can cause the sufferer significant psychological distress as it can take years to resolve,1 thereby…
