One of the most frequent questions we get is about how to tackle dark spots, probably because they’re so common and notoriously tricky to treat. Practically everyone (no matter how flawless their skin looks on Instagram!) struggles with some form of hyperpigmentation. Dark spots occur when your skin produces melanin in order to protect itself from stressors like the sun and acne. So, as pesky as hyperpigmentation may be, it’s part of your skin’s natural healing process, and your skin is all the better for it!
There are three major causes of hyperpigmentation—sun exposure, inflammation (mostly acne), and melasma. With sunspots, you’ll notice small light brown-to-black spots that appear on areas that get a lot of sun exposure, such as your face or the backs of your hands. Sunspots are larger than freckles, which are hereditary and don’t necessarily indicate sun damage. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation are stubborn dark spots that remain after your zits have gone away. It can also show up after any kind of skin trauma like a burn or bug bite. Melasma often pops up during pregnancy because it's often hormonal. You'll see brown or gray blotches, typically on the face with patches that are usually larger than sunspots. Here we'll be addressing treatments specifically for dark spots caused by sun exposure and inflammation, since melasma can require a different approach.
Antioxidants
Dark spots are stubborn, but there are many different home and professional treatments that can help. Topical antioxidants like vitamin C, glutathione, and superoxide dismutase as well as retinol have all been found to help even skin tone and encourage a brighter complexion. At home, we suggest using an antioxidant-rich serum like the Firming Serum (which includes advanced vitamin C and seven other powerful antioxidants including ones mentioned above) night and day to help heal your skin while protecting it from future damage.
Kojic Acid
Hydroquinone is often used as a skin-bleaching agent for dark spots, but we don’t recommend it due to safety concerns. It’s banned in many countries including the UK and Japan for being a skin toxicant and allergen. Instead, a good alternative is kojic acid, a natural brightening agent found in mushrooms as well as sake. It helps gradually fade discoloration by inhibiting the production of melanin. The Enzyme Exfoliant includes kojic acid along with other natural skin brighteners to encourage an even skin tone. You can even use it as a spot treatment specifically on dark spots overnight.
Azelaic Acid
An acid found in whole grains and is also produced naturally by our skin’s microbiome, azelaic acid has a long list of benefits, including targeting hyperactive melanocytes—cells that cause dark spots. Plus, if your dark spots are caused by breakouts and inflammation, azelaic acid can help calm both, while being extremely gentle on the skin. We use an advanced azelaic derivative in the Absolute Purity Toner and Complexion Savior that can also normalize your sebum production.
Sunscreen
We know, we know—you’re tired of hearing about the importance of sunscreen. But sunscreen is a must if you want to improve and prevent dark spots. The sun also causes existing hyperpigmentation to become darker, so those brightening creams aren’t going to be able to do their job if your skin is constantly battling sun damage. We recommend wearing a broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen daily along with an antioxidant-spiked serum for extra protection.
Professional Treatments
Professional treatment such as microdermabrasion, green LED therapy, IPL, and lasers can all help address hyperpigmentation. Although we don’t do laser treatments at Tracie Martyn because we specialize in zero-downtime treatments, lasers will give you the most targeted results for stubborn hyperpigmentation. For gentler and more immediate treatment, we recommend monthly diamond microdermabrasion, which buffs away the outer layer of skin to even skin tone.
What to Avoid
Of course, the most effective way to have an even skin tone is to avoid getting dark spots as much as possible. This means always wearing sunscreen and avoiding picking at any blemishes. That's right—step away from the extraction tool kit and leave it to the professionals. Keep strong exfoliation and retinol to your nighttime routine, since they can leave your skin more vulnerable to environmental damage. It's also a good idea to avoid harsh cleansers with sulfates, since they can disrupt your skin's natural barrier and cause dark spot-causing inflammation. Be gentle to your skin—damage is easier to prevent than reverse.