The 2024 UEFA European Football Championship is underway and England won their first game of the tournament on Sunday 16 June after beating Serbia 1-0. But – results aside – fans were focused on the performance of star player Jude Bellingham.
Bellingham, 20, is considered one of the best players in the world and is the first European player to take part in three major international tournaments before the age of 21.
During Sunday’s match, he scored the only goal of the game to secure England’s victory. However, fans noticed that the young footballer had darker patches of skin on his face, particularly on his cheeks and part of his forehead.
Although Bellingham has not commented on his appearance, many viewers wonder why his skin looked different, especially compared to previous pictures of the player where his skin looked clear and even.
On X, formerly Twitter, one person wondered if Bellingham was suffering from “burnout” that was affecting his skin, while another speculated that he may have used skincare products that left “burn marks on his face.”
Others suspected that the condition could have been caused by allergies, sunburn or eczema.
However, the most likely explanation is a common skin condition called hyperpigmentation, in which some areas of skin can be darker than others.
It is much more common in people with dark skin, but it can affect anyone regardless of skin type, skin color, age or gender. The condition can sometimes be caused by melasma, a form of hyperpigmentation characterized by the development of brown or grayish pigment patches.
Some fans believe Bellingham has melasma, and several have shared their own experiences. On TikTok, one person said they experienced melasma while on vacation, while another added that the condition could have been caused by sun exposure and advised Bellingham to use sunscreen.
What is hyperpigmentation and how does it affect a person?
Dr Anjali Mahto, dermatologist and spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation, explains that pigmentation refers to the discolouration of the skin. Areas of darker skin are known as hyperpigmentation, and areas of lighter skin are known as hypopigmentation or depigmentation.
“Disorders of increased skin pigmentation such as melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation are common in skin of color and are one of the most common reasons for a visit to a dermatology clinic in people with darker skin tones,” she tells Yahoo UK.
“Although hyperpigmentation is not dangerous, its appearance can cause significant aesthetic or cosmetic problems. It is caused by the deposition of the pigment melanin in the skin.”
People with dark skin are more prone to hyperpigmentation due to the higher melanin content in the skin. The cause can be a number of factors, including sun exposure, hormonal influences, injury and inflammation.
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What effect does sunlight have?
Dr Mahto says that while it is known that ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun can worsen pigmentation, the effect of visible light is less talked about.
“Visible light accounts for about half of the radiation we receive from the sun (compared to UV radiation, which accounts for about 2-5%),” she explains.
“Blue light is a component of visible light and is sometimes referred to as high-energy visible light (HEVL). It has a short wavelength (380-500 nm) and high energy. Data shows that blue light causes severe and long-lasting hyperpigmentation in darker skin types (Fitzpatrick 3 and above). This effect is not seen in very light skin.
“This means that blue light can contribute to the relapse of pigment disorders such as melasma and cause hyperpigmentation in dark skin.”
Blue light triggers pigmentation by reacting with the receptors in the skin’s pigment-producing cells. This sets off a chain of reactions in the cell that ultimately leads to an increase in the enzymes involved in pigment production.
“The enzymes themselves stimulate pigment or melanin production, but they also lead to the formation of a protein complex that in turn activates more tyrosinase to produce even more melanin,” says Dr. Mahto.
“This leads to long-lasting hyperpigmentation of the skin – more than you would see with simple UVA or UVB radiation.”
The importance of sun protection in hyperpigmentation
It’s important for everyone to use sun protection daily, regardless of skin color. But while most sunscreens protect against UVA and UVB, this isn’t enough to reduce or prevent pigment changes in skin of color, says Dr. Mahto.
She recommends using a sunscreen with iron oxide to protect the skin from blue light. “Studies show that sunscreens with iron oxide are significantly more effective than classic sunscreens in treating and preventing relapses of melasma, for example.”
“If you have skin of color and are concerned about pigmentation, consider a sunscreen that contains iron oxide as an ingredient.”
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