Beyond fairness: marking International Skin Pigmentation Day with awareness and acceptance

For 32-year-old Ananya (name changed), a content strategist from Bengaluru, dark patches began appearing around her temples and neck nearly four years ago. “At first, | thought it was just tanning.

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But over time, the patches deepened, especially around the folds of my skin. No matter what cream | used, nothing helped—and worse, people started asking if | had a disease or wasn't taking care of myself,” she says.It took years of misinformation, home remedies, and even steroid-containing creams before she finally received a diagnosis: Lichen Planus Pigmentosus (LPP)—a chronic pigmentary disorder that disproportionately affects individuals with darker skin tones. “The hardest part wasn’t the condition—it was the way people looked at me. | became self-conscious, even anxious in social situations. | didn’t know this was a recognised medical issue. | thought it was just me,” Ananya shares.

Stories like hers underscore the urgent need for public awareness—especially around lesser-known conditions like LPP. That’s why International Skin Pigmentation Day, observed globally every May 25, matters. This annual observance is not only about educating the public on pigmentation disorders such as melasma, LPP, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation; it also aims to challenge long-standing biases, foster inclusivity, and celebrate the diversity of skin tones worldwide.