Case Clinic: Treating Pigmentation Without Compromising the Skin

This week’s Case Clinic focuses on a 32-year-old client concerned with uneven skin tone and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation following past breakouts.

On assessment, the skin shows mild sensitivity, slight redness in certain areas, and a compromised barrier. She reports using brightening products at home but also experiences occasional irritation. Sunscreen use is inconsistent.

Her goal is to improve overall clarity and evenness while maintaining healthy, resilient skin.

This opens up an important conversation: when addressing pigmentation in skin that isn’t fully resilient, how do we balance correction with barrier support?

Discussion questions:
What would your first treatment focus on for this client?
How would you adjust her homecare routine?
How do you approach pigmentation when sensitivity is also present?
At what point do you begin introducing more intensive brightening or resurfacing treatments?