4 sept. 20252 min de lecture

Same Body, Different Dark Spot Rules

Why Face and Intimate Skin Darken for Different Reasons

You already know face and intimate skin need different routines. Ready for the next revelation? Even their dark spots follow totally different playbooks.

Face: Sun, Pollution, and Breakouts

On your face, hyperpigmentation is usually triggered by outside forces.

The sun: UV rays send your pigment cells into chaos mode, leaving behind sun spots (aka lentigines). [1]
Pollution: Studies show long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide from fossil fuels can lead to more pigment spots on the cheeks. [2]
Breakouts: Acne and other inflammatory conditions spark post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which shows up more often and more intensely in darker skin. [3]

Ever wondered why those marks stick around? When inflammation goes deep enough, pigment literally spills into the deeper skin layers - leaving longer-lasting gray-blue discoloration.

Intimates: Friction, Irritation, and Daily Triggers

In intimate areas, it's less about the sun and more about your environment. The skin here is thinner, more permeable, and usually covered. Recipe for disaster: more sweat, zero airflow, and constant friction.

Dermatologists call this frictional dermatoses, a fancy way of saying "dark spots caused by constant chafing." [4]

Tight clothes, shaving, pads, and even harsh soaps can all create irritation. And when that irritation heals, it often leaves pigment behind. [4]

Hormones also influence how skin responds and recovers, but that’s a deeper topic we’ll save for another post.

The Bottom Line

Facial dark spots come from the outside world: sun, pollution, and acne. Intimate dark spots usually come from within: friction, inflammation, and sometimes hormones. That's why your routine needs to be tailored.

For your face: think sunscreen and brightening antioxidants.
For your intimates: go for gentle pH-balanced care, anti-inflammatory actives, and reducing friction where you can.

Look, intimate darkening is completely normal - but that doesn't mean you have to just live with insecurity about it. There are real solutions out there that can help you feel confident in every part of your skin.

References:

[1] "Lentigo" DermNet NZ. https://dermnetnz.org/topics/lentigo

[2] Hüls A, Vierkötter A, Gao W, Krämer U, Yang Y, Ding A, et al. "Traffic-Related Air Pollution Contributes to Development of Facial Lentigines: Further Epidemiological Evidence from Caucasians and Asians." Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2016). https://www.jidonline.org/article/S0022-202X(16)00453-X/fulltext

[3] Taylor SC, Cook-Bolden F, Rahman Z, Strachan D. "Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation: A Review of the Epidemiology, Clinical Features, and Treatment Options in Skin of Color." Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (PMC: 2921758). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2921758/

[4] Connor CJ, Eppsteiner EE. "Vulvar Contact Dermatitis." Proceedings in Obstetrics and Gynecology (2014). University of Iowa. https://pubs.lib.uiowa.edu/pog/article/3499/galley/1 12405