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What happens in the skin as UV levels rise, and how to stay ahead of it
As we move out of winter and UV levels begin to climb, skin starts producing the pigment that will become visible as dark marks weeks, sometimes months, before those marks ever appear on the surface.
“This early reaction happens because pigmentation is more sensitive to UV exposure in spring, and it affects anyone with a history of melasma, sunspots, or post-acne marks. It responds far better to prevention now than to correction once it has already appeared,” says Dr Alek Nikolic, aesthetic medical practitioner and founder of skincare platform SkinMiles.
Melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing pigment, respond directly to UV and visible light. As skies clear and UV exposure climbs through spring, these cells are triggered to produce more melanin, and skin that has spent winter indoors is often underprepared for the change.
What most people don’t realise is how long that process takes to become visible. Melanin is produced deep in the skin’s basal layer, and it must travel upward through the skin’s natural renewal cycle, which takes roughly 28 to 40 days, before it reaches the surface.
UV exposure also keeps stimulating melanocytes for days or weeks after time in the sun has ended, not just during it. That means the unprotected hour in the garden or the walk without sunscreen in September may not show up as a dark mark until well into summer, by which point it’s a lot harder to treat.
“Pigmentation is much easier to prevent than to reverse,” says Dr Nikolic. “Once melanin has clumped together and settled into the skin, it can take months of consistent treatment to fade. The window in spring, before UV exposure peaks and before this cycle has run its course, is when preventive steps make the biggest difference.”
Reduce UV exposure before it reaches the skin
Daily sunscreen use is the single most effective step in preventing new pigmentation, and this matters more in spring than most people realise, since UV levels rise well before summer heat sets in. A broad-spectrum sunscreen protects against UVA and UVB, and it should be reapplied through the day rather than applied once each morning.
Dr Nikolic recommends:
- HELIOCARE 360° Pigment Solution Fluid SPF 50+ a broad-spectrum SPF with Fernblock antioxidant technology, suited to normal, combination and oily skin.
- Heliocare 360 Sensation, a lightweight, oil-free daily SPF that also protects against visible light and infrared, both of which contribute to pigmentation in addition to UV.
Support the skin’s defences from within
Sunscreen protects against UV reaching the skin, but antioxidants help manage the oxidative stress that UV exposure causes once it does. A topical vitamin C serum applied in the morning, underneath sunscreen, adds a layer of defence and helps keep existing pigmentation from darkening further. An oral antioxidant supplement can support this from within, particularly for those who spend long hours outdoors.
Dr Nikolic recommends:
- LELIVE All Glow’d Up, a vitamin C serum with turmeric and liquorice extract to help brighten skin and support an even tone.
- Revive Skin Radiance, a daily oral supplement formulated to help regulate melanin production and support a more even complexion from within.
Treat existing marks before they deepen
For skin that already shows sunspots, melasma, or post-acne marks, spring is the time to start a targeted routine before summer sun makes those marks harder to shift. Ingredients that work at different stages of melanin production, rather than a single active alone, tend to produce steadier results.
Dr Nikolic recommends:
- NEORETIN Gel Cream SPF 50, a daytime treatment that combines melanin-regulating actives with broad-spectrum sun protection in one step
- NEORETIN Booster Serum, a night-time treatment that continues to target melanin production while skin repairs overnight
“The best time to treat pigmentation is before you can see it,” adds Dr Nikolic. “A consistent spring routine of sun protection, antioxidant support and targeted treatment where needed will do more for skin tone by the end of summer than trying to correct dark marks after they have already formed.”
Sunscreen every day, antioxidant support underneath it, and early treatment of any existing marks now will do more for skin tone over the next few months than any product used later, once the marks that started forming in spring have finally reached the surface.