🌿 Post‑Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH)
What is PIH? 🤔
Post‑Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH) refers to those stubborn dark marks left behind after your skin heals from external inflammation—like acne, eczema, or a bug bite. It’s not a scar (your skin texture stays the same), but melanin gets deposited where inflammation once lived. 🟤
Depending on how deep the pigment is, the spots may look:
- Brown if it’s near the surface (epidermal)
- Blue-grey if it’s deeper in the skin (dermal)
✨ PIH is more common in skin of colour, which is beautifully rich in melanin – but also more reactive when inflamed. White people tend to develop more age spots and wrinkles.
What Causes PIH? 🔍
PIH can happen after almost any skin trauma or inflammation. Common triggers include:
🔥 Acne – Yes, even ones you don’t pick!
🌿 Eczema & dermatitis – Sensitive or inflamed skin is prone to uneven pigment marks after healing
🐜 Insect bites – Especially in children or those who scratch
💥 Burns or cuts – Physical injury or friction (e.g., waxing, tight clothing, hot showers)
🧪 Chemical peels or laser – widespread adverse effect, tragically!
☀️ Sun exposure – Deepens existing spots and can cause new ones
How It Happens 🧬
When your skin becomes inflamed, it sends out chemical signals that trigger melanocytes (the pigment-producing cells) to make more melanin. If the inflammation is shallow, the pigment stays near the top. If it’s deeper, it sinks into the dermis and takes longer to fade. 🕰️
With proper sun protection, superficial PIH may fade within 6–12 months. Deeper ones? It could be 1–2 years or more, ig you are lucky!
How to Prevent PIH 🛡️
The best approach to PIH? Prevent it before it starts. Here’s how:
🚫 Don’t pick, squeeze, or scratch
🧴 Use calming skincare with no alcohol, fragrance, or scrubs. Baby products are my go-to, and always monitor your spots when trying a new product.
🧊 Cool inflamed skin with aloe vera, calendula, cold tea, or soothing botanicals
🧼 Treat acne and eczema gently but effectively
🌞 Sunscreen daily—even indoors. UV worsens everything.
😌 Be gentle with your skin – Harsh treatments leave marks.
🌿 Treatments That Work — Gently 💫
When it comes to treating PIH, tougher is not better – gentler is better. Many people unintentionally make their pigmentation worse by trying to “scrub it off,” “burn it out,” or “peel it away.” ❌
Here’s the truth: your skin is always regenerating. It is not frozen in time. When you treat it harshly—using strong acids, exfoliants, scrubs, or aggressive procedures—it becomes inflamed again. And what happens when skin is inflamed? You guessed it: more pigment. 😞
When your skin is trying to heal, it creates melanin to protect itself. So, even small injuries—caused by the overuse of skincare products, treatments that sting, or “tingly” exfoliants—can trigger more PIH. Scabs darken. Flaky patches turn into new spots. You end up in a cycle of damage and repair attempts that never truly deliver.
That’s why we do things differently. ❤️
🌸 Our Approach: Natural, Gentle, Effective
At Beauty Fields, we’ve developed a natural solution that respects your skin’s healing wisdom. 🌱
🧼 Our soaps and creams are:
- 100% natural, made in New Zealand with botanical extracts known to calm inflammation and gently support skin tone
- Free from bleaching agents, hydroquinone, or harsh chemicals
- Designed for long-term use without side effects, or rebound pigmentation.
- You can treat during summer too, safely.
✨ Instead of attacking your skin, we focus on:
- Reducing inflammation at the source
- Helping skin detox naturally
- Supporting the body’s ability to balance melanin production
The result? Clearer, brighter skin—without the trauma and without the drama. 🌿
❌ Why Harsh Treatments Often Backfire
It’s tempting to reach for strong actives, peels, or viral “miracle” products when you’re desperate to fade dark marks. But here’s what happens:
- 🔥 Acids and retinoids can thin and irritate skin if overused
- 🧽 Scrubs and exfoliants can create micro-tears, leading to more inflammation
- 💡 Lasers and peels—can cause new PIH
- 😵💫 Using skincare actives too much – can stress your skin barrier and slow healing
For darker skin tones especially, this cycle of irritation → pigmentation → more treatment → more irritation can go on forever. That’s why we believe in breaking the cycle with calmness, not combat.
🌞 What Actually Works (Long-Term)
Here’s how to fade PIH safely and naturally:
✔️ Be consistent with a gentle routine
✔️ Hydrate and nourish your skin barrier
✔️ Use ingredients that soothe, not sting
✔️ Wear sunscreen daily to stop UV from darkening spots
🌺 Why Our Treatment is Different
I created our formulas because I’ve lived this struggle—not just read about it. As a pharmacist, a mother, and someone who has battled pigmentation firsthand, I saw how few safe options existed for long-term care.
💚 That’s why we made it our mission to offer:
- A safe, gentle, daily-use solution
- No bleaching, no irritation
- A calm skin care—free of inflammation
This is not about erasing your spots until they reappear. It’s about restoring clarity, honouring your skin’s strength, and giving it the support it needs to glow—naturally. ✨
Final Thoughts 💭
PIH is frustrating – but completely normal and very common. We’ve seen it firsthand (and experienced it ourselves). 💜
The good news? With calm, consistent care—and some skin-loving ingredients—you can restore a more even tone and glow. 🌈 No bleaching. No harsh chemicals. Just smart, natural solutions that help your skin do what it already knows how to do: heal.