Hyperpigmentation is the term used to describe areas of uneven pigmentation on skin. It appears as darkened patches or spots that make skin look uneven. These dark spots are often referred to as sun spots (or age spots) and hyperpigmentation is also the symptom of skin conditions such as melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The sun is the number one cause of hyperpigmentation as it’s sunlight that triggers the production of melanin, the pigment that gives our skin its color, in the first place. This is why effective UVA and UVB protection with high-energy visible light defense is the most important step you can take in helping to protect your skin from hyperpigmentation.