What is standing in the way of flawless complexion?
Dark spots. Whether you call them dark spots, sun spots, age spots, liver spots or hyperpigmentation, they are all caused by excessive melanin in the skin.
They can adds years to your appearance.
The good news is dark age spots are easy to treat. And we’ll discuss that further down. If your looking for dark spot treatment information, you can scroll down.
Dark spots most commonly appear up on the face but they are also develop on the back of hands, chest, shoulders and décolletage – in other words, places that get the most sun exposure.
They are brown, black, or even tan colored.
Here’s a look at what causes dark spots, how to prevent them, and how to treat them.
What Causes Dark Spots?
Dark spots are caused by a combination of factors, including hormones, genetics and the aging process but the biggest cause is sun exposure. The thinning ozone layer results in higher levels of UV rays as well, which makes things worse.
Over exposure to damaging UV rays can up on the face and body in a variety of ways.
The most serious consequence is melanoma. UV radiation also contribute to the signs of aging on the skin. That’s because UV rays can breakdown collagen, which is the support structure of the skin, which leads to wrinkles and fine lines.
UVA and UVB rays from the sun trigger melanin production, which is the body’s way of protecting itself.
The accelerated production of melanin leads to age spots.
Dark spots are formed after repeated and prolonged exposure to the sun, so it’s important to remember that while they won’t appear out of the blue, they are caused by cumulative sun exposure.
Tanning beds also contribute to sun spots as well, and hormones are another trigger. Some pregnant women develop a dark patch on their face, which is called the “mask of pregnancy,” or melasma.
People of any skin tone can develop age spots, however, age spots are normally found on people with lighter complexions.
The face and the back of the hands often show the signs of aging quickly, as the skin there is thin and often exposed to the sun.
Even if you religiously apply sunscreen to your face every day, most people forget to protect their hands.
How To Prevent Dark Spots?
The number one way to prevent dark spots from appearing is to limit your exposure to the sun, and use a physical sunscreen every single day.
Use a physical sun blocker that contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, and for an added dose of protection brush a mineral powder sunblock on your face every day (keep one in your car for touch ups or impromptu visits to the park).
Don’t neglect the rest of your body, such as legs, hands and arms.
Cover up with clothing such as a hat, gloves and long pants, even on a hot day. In some asian countries, women use an umbrella during the day. This is an excellent way to prevent age spots.
How To Get Rid Of Dark Spots?What Are Some of the Best Age Spot Treatments?
Once they appear, dark spots will not go away on their own and they are difficult to treat.
There are solutions that can help reduce the appearance of age spots.
Keep in mind that most products must be used consistently to see results, and wearing sunscreen is essential – otherwise the sun spots will come back.
Here’s an overview:
Hydroquinone
Hydroquinone is the most effective topical ingredient for fading dark spots. It works by blocking the melanin-producing enzyme tyrosinase. It is found in many Asian lightening products and is available in over the counter products and more potent concentrations are available by prescription.
Hydroquinone is effective at lightening dark spots as it is basically a bleach for the skin.
Hydroquinone can cause irritation, redness and peeling, so it is best to start slowly and build up tolerance with more frequent use. Hydroquinone can also make the skin more sensitive to sunburns, so be extra vigilant about applying SPF.
Hydroquinone should be used as a targeted treatment and applied directly to dark spots.
Alternatives to Hydroquinone
If you don’t want to use hydroquinone due to the health risks, look for naturally derived ingredients which help fade dark spots by inhibiting the enzyme tyrosinase, which is necessary for the production of melanin.
Ingredients include kojic acid (a chemical produced from different types of fungi), licorice root and mulberry extract. These are all natural origin ingredients.
Ellagic acid, a compound that can be found in some vegetables, nuts and fruits, also works to lighten dark spots. It is a natural antioxidant containing polyphenolic, which helps inhibits the formation of sun and age spots.
Azelaic acid, tranexamic acid and alpha arbutin are other effective clean alternatives to hydroquinone.
These ingredients all work on dark spots by helping to inhibit the melanin producing enzyme.
These ingredients should be used in a serum. Serums are more concentrated.
Retinol
Retinol is a gold standard ingredient in anti-aging skincare products. It can also help fade dark spots as it accelerates skin cell turnover to achieve a brighter looking complexion. By accelerating cell turnover, fresh skin is revealed.
Retinols are not effective at suppressing tyrosinase or reducing melanin production. Therefore they must be used alongside ingredients like Hydroquinone or Kojic Acid.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is commonly found in serums and helps brighten the skin. This antioxidant also helps fade discoloration and hyperpigmentation.
Vitamin C has many skin benefits incuding skin brightening, exfoliating and and defense against free radical damage. Vitamin C can aso be found in moisturizers, masks and cleansers, but higher concentrations that are found in serums are required for brightening.
Exfoliation
One way to fade the look of dark spots is to exfoliate the skin. This can be done manually with a face scrub. If you like the feel of a physical scrub, try one made with rice enzymes. Or opt for a chemical exfoliation, which is more gentle to the skin. AHAs (alpha hydroxy acid) and BHAs (beta hydroxy acid) work by dissolving dead skin cells, leaving behind smooth, bright looking skin. Look for ingredients such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid or lactic acid.
A doctor or medical professional can perform a deeper exfoliation with a chemical peel or perform microdermabrasion, a manual exfoliation using a fine spray of crystals to blast off a layer of skin.
Another way to whisk away old skin cells is with a sonic cleansing brush but be careful not to overuse as this could leave your face irritated.
Home Remedies for Age Spots
We’re often asked if there is do it yourself approach to tackling age spots. There are plenty of ingredients in the kitchen that you may want to try but these options are ineffective and have safety issues,.
Lemon juice is a favorite to lighten hair naturally in the sun, but the same concept does not work for pigmentation. While it can brighten the skin, it also causes skin sensitivity. We recommend skipping this option.
Another option is apple cider vinegar, a natural alpha hydroxy acid which helps remove dead skin cells and lighten skin. This also irritates the skin.
Lactic acid, which is found in dairy products such as buttermilk and yogurt, helps give skin a gentle exfoliation, which helps fade sun spots. However concentrations are too to have any real effect.
Our favourite at home remedy is turmeric. Tumeric inhibits the enzyme responsible for melanin production. You can easily mix tumeric with yogurt or honey and create a mask. This safe and gentle for most skin types but always complete a test patch on your hand. At best, tumeric is a good brightening mask. Sadly. it will not fade age spots.
Our recommendation is to skip at home remedies and focus on proven treatments.
Cryotherapy for Sun Spots on the Hands
A physician can help zap dark spots on the hands with cryotherapy. Cryotherapy (also known ascryosurgery), works to fade dark spots by freezing them with a liquid nitrogen solution. This causes the dark skin to peel off. Every procedure carries risk, and some possible side effects include over lightening of the skin and permanent white scars, according to the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS). This is a very effective treatment option.
Laser Treatments
Lasers are very effective on dark spots in different ways. We recommend a simple IPL treatment (Intense Pulse Light). It is the most effective treatment and has little to no downtime. The light beam targets melanin, and breaking up the pigment which eliminates dark spots. Multiple sessions at a dermatologist’s office are usually needed to see.
Newer lasers including ultra-short pulse lasers like Pico Laser work by shattering skin pigment into microscopic dust using a mechanical pressure wave rather than heat. They are very effective.
Next generation lasers are more effective then convention laser resurfacing, which worked by ablating the upper layers of the skin . These lasers require weeks of downtime and often make the skin photosensitive. We recommend avoiding laser resurfacing.
Chemical Peels
A physician can perform a chemical peel with acids like glycolic, lactic, or TCA. This procedures peels away the upper layers of the skin to reveal new, fresh skin. Chemical peels break down melanin and accelerate skin turnover. The downside? Higher concentration peels are required, which results in increased downtime and risks.
Microdermabrasion
While microdermabrasion itself is not powerful enough to lighten age spots, it is a helpful as part of a protocol to lighten age spots. It helps accelerate skin turnover. Second, it supports skincare efficiency by improving absorbtion.
Bottom Line
We’ve outlined a number of treatment options.
- If you’re looking for rapid and dramatic results, we recommend hydroquinone. It’s very effective but a series treatment. If your using this for the first time, we recommend using it every second day. Results can typically be observed after a few months.
- Use this alongside a good serum with natural skin lightening agents like Kojic Acid.
- Natural skin lightening are effective with continued use. These can be used instead of hydroquinone, but will take longer to see results.
- Next generation lasers and IPL are also effective but more costly. While you often see results after one treatment, they often require 2-3 treatments.
- Remember to always use SPF to ensure the age spots do not return.
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