Episode 6: Dark Spots, Hyperpigmentation & The Long Game

Dark marks don’t disappear because you bought a brighter serum. We unpack post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation vs. melasma, why over-treating makes it worse, how niacinamide actually works, the truth about "purging," and why sunscreen is non-negotiable. No miracle creams. Just the facts.

Show notes

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (a localized injury response) vs. melasma (often hormonally driven) — why they need different approaches
The "kitchen sink" approach backfires: stacking acids and retinoids damages the barrier, and inflammation itself triggers more pigment
How niacinamide blocks pigment transfer instead of bleaching it away, why "purging" doesn't apply to a basic moisturiser, and why sunscreen is non-negotiable for treating dark marks at all