Decoding Hyperpigmentation from Biological Mechanisms to Actives with Clinically Proven Topical Efficacy: A Narrative Review
Christine Duval, Jie Qiu, Emilie Warrick, Peggy Sextius, Isabelle Castiel-Higounenc, Leihong Xiang, Francoise Bernerd, Thierry Passeron · 2026
Read Decoding Hyperpigmentation from Biological Mechanisms to Actives with Clinically Proven Topical Efficacy: A Narrative Review by Christine Duval, Jie Qiu, Emilie Warrick, Peggy Sextius, Isabelle Castiel-Higounenc, Leihong Xiang, Francoise Bernerd, Thierry Passeron (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-13280301.txt.
Description
Christine Duval and colleagues published a 2026 narrative review of skin hyperpigmentation treatments, sorting ingredients by whether clinical evidence proves they work. Dark-patch disorders are common, carry social stigma, and draw a flood of actives of uneven quality. Pigment control is also more complex than the single enzyme pathway once assumed. It involves the whole neighborhood of cells around the pigment-producing melanocyte, and the review maps ingredients onto that picture.
Prevention comes first, with broad photoprotection that includes visible light, backed by antioxidants against oxidative stress. Among lightening approaches, the review covers tyrosinase blockers, newer compounds acting downstream, and agents that normalize skin renewal. Other agents repair the dermal support tissue, calm inflammation, or reduce blood-vessel contributions. Combination products outperform single ingredients in the record they survey. The authors close by urging multifaceted, well-tolerated formulas. They warn clinicians against ingredients whose support stops at laboratory data.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Christine Duval, Jie Qiu, Emilie Warrick, Peggy Sextius, Isabelle Castiel-Higounenc, Leihong Xiang, Francoise Bernerd, Thierry Passeron |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 54 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |