Given the unique genetic landscape of the South African (eThekwini) female population, which predominantly consists of individuals with darker skin types, this pilot study explored the correlation between pigment gene polymorphisms of genes SLC45A2 (rs11568737 and rs28777), TYR (rs1042602 and rs1126809), HERC2 (rs1129038), and SLC24A (rs1426654) with the severity of melasma development. Here, HERC2 is linked to freckles.