HYPERPIGMENTATION
POST-INFLAMMATORY HYPERPIGMENTATION
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or HIP is the skin's own healing response turned against itself.
Any inflammatory event (an acne lesion, a cut, a burn... ) can trigger it, and without the right intervention, it can persist long after the original cause has resolved. It can affect all skin types and all phototypes, though it tends to be more pronounced and more persistent in darker skin tones.
WHAT IS POST-INFLAMMATORY HYPERPIGMENTATION?
PIH develops when an inflammatory event triggers a dysregulated melanin production response in the affected area.
The inflammation activates keratinocytes, which release pro-pigment signaling molecules that overstimulate adjacent melanocytes. These in turn upregulate key enzymes, primarily tyrosinase, driving excess melanin synthesis.
What makes PIH particularly challenging is that inflammation is both the initial trigger and, if not managed correctly, a sustained driver. A dark mark can persist for months after the original blemish or injury has healed.
Blocking tyrosinase alone - the mechanism most conventional depigmenting actives rely on - addresses only one step in this cascade. Correcting PIH effectively requires a formula built around the full biological sequence: from the upstream inflammatory signal, through melanin synthesis, to the oxidative environment that sustains it.
This is precisely why Alphascience developed ALPHA BRIGHT. A clinically tested serum with proven efficacy on stubborn PIH.
HOW DOES ALPHA BRIGHT ADDRESSES HIP?
Effective treatment of PIH requires intervening at multiple points of the melanogenesis process and not just blocking a single enzyme. It requires a formula built around the full biological sequence: from the upstream inflammatory signal, through melanin synthesis, to the oxidative environment that sustains it. This is why the ALPHA BRIGHT formula combines expertly selected actives with complementary mechanisms to address PIH.
- Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine is a precision brightening peptide that intervenes at four different stages of the pigmentation process, from the very first signal that tells melanocytes to produce melanin, all the way through to the transfer of pigment to the skin surface.
- Stabilized Vitamin C neutralizes the oxidative stress generated by inflammation, directly inhibits tyrosinase, and supports skin barrier repair.
- Ginkgo Biloba targets the vascular and inflammatory microenvironment, helping resolve the chronic low-grade inflammation that can sustain pigmentation beyond its original trigger.
Discover ALPHA BRIGHT, a clinically tested serum with proven efficacy on stubborn PIH.
THE IDEAL PIH CORRECTING PROTOCOL
Combining ALPHA BRIGHT and ALPHA NIGHT PEEL is the perfect morning/evening routine for PIH concerns. Each formula reinforces the other's mechanism of action.
Apply ALPHA BRIGHT iin the morning. Its brightening peptide intercepts the hormonal signal that activates melanocytes, while stabilized Vitamin C neutralizes UV-generated oxidative stress throughout the day which directly intensifies PIH. Applied under SPF50, it acts as a comprehensive daytime correcting and preventing shield.
In the evening, apply ALPHA NIGHT PEEL. Its AHA complex gently promotes cellular renewal and surface exfoliation overnight, accelerating the clearance of melanin-loaded keratinocytes at the skin surface. This makes existing pigmentation fade faster, and also improves the penetration and efficacy of ALPHA BRIGHT applied the following morning.
The result is a continuous 24-hour correction initiated at the biological level during the day, and accelerated at the surface level overnight.
Discover ALPHA BRIGHT
Discover ALPHA NIGHT PEEL
