It’s been a long hot summer and now that the days are getting a bit cooler, we’re seeing the effects of the sunshine on our skin.
Pigmentation is one of the most common concerns to emerge at the end of summer, but not all pigmentation should be treated in the same way, according to two experts who deal with these complaints every autumn.
But there’s more than one type of pigmentation and how you identify and deal with those sun spots really does matter.
Getting the diagnosis right is the first step to seeing results without inadvertently making matters worse, according to Dr Jennifer Owens of The Glow Clinic (theglowclinic.ie) which has clinics in Dublin and Cork.
‘Firstly, it’s so important to identify what type of pigmentation you’re dealing with. The approach to sun damage and non-melasma pigmentation is very different to melasma, which can be aggravated by heat and more aggressive treatments,’ Jennifer says.
‘Post-summer is when a lot of my patients suddenly notice pigmentation they swear wasn’t there in July, and there’s a good reason for that. UV exposure triggers melanocytes – pigment producing cells — to ramp up melanin production as a defence mechanism, which is your tan. ‘But repeated or intense exposure causes that melanin to clump irregularly rather than distribute evenly, and that’s what shows up weeks later as sun spots, melasma, or general unevenness.
‘There’s a lag between the UV damage and the pigment actually surfacing, which is why when the tans have faded in September and October tends to be when people start to book in for appointments, not August.’
Treating pigmentation doesn’t stop once you leave the clinic
And while the common parlance is that 80 per cent of sun damage happens before you are 18, Jennifer says that’s not strictly true.
‘More recent data from the Skin Cancer Foundation puts it closer to 23–25 per cent, with the bulk of lifetime UV exposure actually happening in adulthood, and the highest annual exposure in over-40s.
‘So it is very much ongoing, cumulative damage, and up to 90 per cent of visible skin ageing is attributed to sun exposure rather than age itself.’
Leading Irish skin expert Eavanna Breen calls this the ‘September skin hangover’, and her warning is simple: do not assume every brown mark is the same, and do not reach immediately for the strongest acid, retinoid or laser treatment.
‘This is the point in the year when people suddenly notice things that were not nearly as obvious a few months ago,’ says Eavanna, Clinical Director of the Eavanna Breen Skin and Laser Clinic in Dublin 2 (eavannabreen.ie). ‘The biggest mistake is assuming they are all the same thing and immediately trying to erase them. A defined sun spot and melasma are very different problems. Treating pigmentation more aggressively does not automatically give a better result, and the wrong approach can aggravate the skin.’
Eavanna says our Celtic skin can put us at a disadvantage as 75 per cent of us fall into the skin types I and II on the Fitzpatrick scale where our skin burns easily and tans poorly. And she says pigmentation is not necessarily the result of one afternoon when sunscreen was forgotten.
Pigmentation ‘may be the visible result of repeated exposure over the summer’
‘What appears in September may be the visible result of repeated exposure over the summer, not one dramatic burn,’ explains Eavanna. ‘The skin remembers all of those ordinary days. By the end of summer, existing pigment can look darker and previously subtle areas can become much easier to see.’
Eavanna says solar lentigines, are flat, defined areas associated with cumulative sun exposure, often appearing on the face and hands.
Freckles are marks that can deepen with sun exposure and fade again when exposure falls.
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation can remain after inflammation or injury, including acne, irritation and some cosmetic procedures.
Melasma usually presents as larger, often symmetrical patches. UV is only part of the picture: hormones, inflammation and visible light may also contribute.
‘If someone comes into my clinic with pigmentation, my first question is not “what laser are we going to use?” It is “what type of pigmentation is this?” says Eavanna. ‘That assessment has to come before correction.’
In her clinic Jennifer uses BBL+ Moxi for non-melasma pigmentation, including sunspots and sun-induced discolouration.
‘BBL, or BBL combined with MOXI, is my go-to. It can make a real difference in a single session, and is well evidenced for improving pigmentation, redness and overall skin quality.
‘BBL (BroadBand Light) uses broad-spectrum light that’s selectively absorbed by melanin – the light converts to heat, shatters the pigment into fragments, and the body clears it naturally over the following days, so patients often see spots darken and then flake off.
Dr Jennifer Owens of The Glow Clinic in Dublin and Cork
‘It also stimulates collagen, so there’s a skin-quality benefit alongside the pigment correction. Moxi is a fractional laser, meaning it creates a grid of microscopic treatment zones rather than treating the whole surface, so downtime is much lower than older resurfacing lasers. It’s particularly good for prevention and maintenance as well as correction, which makes it a nice fit for exactly this post-summer moment – treating what’s already there and reducing the odds of it coming back next year.’
For melasma, Jennifer recommends a much gentler approach, opting for low-fluence MOXI to target pigmentation without the thermal load that can trigger a flare, followed by SkinPen microneedling to help maintain results.
‘Low-fluence MOXI, which is designed to treat pigmentation without the thermal load that can trigger a flare, followed by SkinPen microneedling to help maintain results.’
But, she says, treating pigmentation doesn’t stop once you leave the clinic. Jennifer stresses that a targeted at-home routine is just as important for supporting and maintaining results.
‘In-clinic treatment is only half the plan – it has to be paired with a targeted at-home routine built around tyrosinase inhibitors,’ she says.
‘Prevention is unglamorous but it’s the most important part: broad-spectrum SPF 30–50 reapplied every two hours outdoors, hats and shade between 11am–3pm, and SPF through winter and on cloudy days too, since UVA penetrates cloud and glass year-round. Daily SPF15+ use alone has been shown to cut melanoma risk by 50 per cent.
‘At home, the right ingredients can really help in the longer term: vitamin C in the morning for antioxidant and brightening effects, niacinamide to reduce pigment transfer and even tone over time, tranexamic acid for melasma-type pigmentation, retinoids to speed cell turnover and fade existing spots, and azelaic acid as a gentler option for reactive skin. Home skincare can maintain results and gently fade pigment, but it can’t quite reverse established sun damage the way an in-clinic treatment can.’
Eavanna agrees: ‘For somebody struggling with melasma, I no longer talk only about the SPF number on the bottle. Broad spectrum UV protection remains non-negotiable, but visible light protection matters too. That is why I often recommend a tinted sunscreen containing iron oxides for pigmentation prone skin.’
‘I do not want people to think pigmentation means skin cancer, because it does not,’ Eavanna stresses. ‘I do want them to understand that sun exposure is cumulative and the brown spots are not the only possible legacy. Any new, changing, bleeding, itching or otherwise suspicious mark should go to a GP or dermatologist before anyone considers cosmetic treatment.’
‘Before spending money on another brightening serum or booking a treatment because itworked for somebody else, find out what you are actually treating,’ advises Eavanna. ‘At the clinic, we carry out a complete post summer skin audit,looking at pigmentation, redness, texture, hydration and the health of the skin barrier. From there, we can identify what needs treatment, what should be left alone and what needs to be referred to a GP or dermatologist.
Skin specialist Eavanna Breen in her clinic in Dublin
You leave with a clear, personalised plan rather than months of expensive trial and error, and that can be the difference between improving pigmentation and inadvertently making it worse.’Eavanna operates a four-step system where she first assesses the situation.
‘Look at what has actually changed: pigment, redness, texture, hydration or sensitivity. A professional skin consultation can help distinguish different cosmetic concerns, but any suspicious lesion must be medically assessed by a GP or dermatologist first,’ she says.
Step two is protection. ‘Continue a broad spectrum, high protection SPF every day and use it correctly. For melasma-prone skin, consider a tinted formula containing iron oxides for added visible light protection. My clinic recommendation is AlumierMD Sheer Hydration Versatile Tint.’
Step three is to repair the skin. ‘If skin feels dehydrated, tight or reactive, prioritise barrier repair before adding multiple acids or retinoids. I recommend Skinmade personalised moisturiser, which is formulated following an individual skin measurement toaddress hydration and lipid needs in our You can book a free skin test to have your own personalised moisturiser made via our website.’
Step four is correction. ‘Only once the skin has been assessed and its barrier is settled should correction begin. Depending on the concern, IPL may be considered for suitable excess pigmentation, Laser Genesis for redness and vascular changes, and microneedling for texture and collagen remodelling.
‘Melasma requires a separate, individualised management plan. The treatment type, timing and course should be decided case by case.’
