The umbrella term for the dark spots that - for many of us - develop across our faces and bodies as we age, hyperpigmentation occurs when the skin produces excess melanin, the natural brown pigment that lends our skin its colour.
The exact reasons for this excess production of melanin vary hugely, from hormone fluctuations, to inflammation, allergies, wound healing, medications and mechanical damage (from repeated actions like plucking, waxing and shaving), essentially anything that inflames or irritates the skin. Most dark spots, however, are caused by sun exposure.
