A Beauty Editor’s Guide To Dark Spots — Everything You’ll Ever Need To Know

April 17, 2023

Dark spots are a skin concern that is near universal—they can affect folks of all skin types and tones, show up when you’re young and old, appear on any area of the body, and are triggered by a wide variety of factors and environmental influences. 

Treating them takes a dash more nuance than one might expect. So many folks think you can just exfoliate them away—and while it’s certainly an important step in the process, it’s not the only thing to consider. (Not to mention that if you overdo it, you run the risk of triggering more inflammation in the skin—potentially making the situation worse.) So in an effort to shed some light on dark spots, we present to you everything you need to know about this common skin concern. 

Read on for our best and brightest advice. 

Put simply, dark spots are areas of skin that appear darker than the rest of the complexion. “Dark spots are often the result of a grouping of cells within the skin that overproduce the pigment melanin, or the result of melanin being deposited in the surrounding epidermis and dermis,” board-certified dermatologist and YouTube creator Andrea Suarez, M.D., FAAD, tells mindbodygreen about dark spots. 

In our skin there are things called melanocytes, which are the cells responsible for producing pigment in the skin. When our skin is inflamed—be that from UV radiation, acne, hormones, or something else—it stimulates these melanocytes1 to create more pigment. The result? Spots or patches in the epidermis that are a darker hue than the rest of the complexion 

They often appear on areas of the skin that are exposed to sunlight (such as the chest, back of hands, and cheeks) but can also appear anywhere on the face or body that has experienced inflammation or trauma, such as acne. 

And while these are most often traced back to UV exposure, it’s not the only thing that contributes to it. In fact, there are several types of dark spots. 

• Age spots. Age spots, liver spots, or sun spots—these marks go by many names, but the gist is the same. These types of pigmentation are caused by the accumulation of sun damage over time. 
• Melasma. Melasma is also triggered by UV exposure, but it has a hormonal component2—you also must be genetically predisposed to it (read: not everyone will get melasma). This is why many folks who experience melasma are on birth control, pregnant, or going through menopause. 
• Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. These are marks that are triggered by inflammation in the skin (as the name suggests) stemming from a wound. Most commonly these are from acne lesions. These are sometimes classified as an acne scar, even if they are technically different. 
• Freckles. Freckles can appear on any skin tone and come at any age, but you must be genetically prone to them to develop the spots. According to a study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, only participants with a genetic predisposition to freckling were able to produce freckles when exposing their skin to high amounts of UV. Additionally, freckles can be further separated into two types: ephelides and solar lentigines. While both ephelides and lentigines are affected by sunlight, ephelides are more predominantly genetically determined and tend to appear during early childhood, whereas lentigines are only induced by photodamage.

1. Only treating the face. The facial skin isn’t the only area to experience these marks, yet most dark spot correctors and treatments are designed for facial skin. However, with age, many people start to see dark spots forming on the backs of their hands, chest, and shoulders—or see it on areas where they have body acne.
2. Not getting skin tone specific. While dark spots can appear on skin of any tone, skin of color is more likely to experience post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation3. In addition, not all recommendations are suitable for every skin color—in fact, some treatments can make dark spots worse for darker skin tones. (More on that in a second.) The good news is that there are many wonderful professionals out there who do take skin tone into consideration when treating dark spots—be sure to find someone who has experience working with skin that looks like yours. 
3. Being overly aggressive on a regular basis. Like with anything in skin care, folks have a tendency to go overboard with products. But it’s incredibly important that you not excessively exfoliate or use too many aggressive ingredients, as this will ultimately trigger more inflammation in the skin. Then, we’re right back where we started. Patience is important when fading dark spots.
4. Not practicing holistic sun care. Since UV damage is the primary cause of most dark spots, protecting your skin from exposure is incredibly important. Not only does this mean you should wear sunscreen daily (and reapply), it means you should utilize protective clothing and avoid excessive sunbathing. 

1.

Build out your sun care arsenal.

Practicing smart sun takes a well-rounded, nuanced approach. To start, it means you should be mindful of the time you do spend in the sun. Applying SPF is not an excuse to sunbathe for sport. While we believe spending time outdoors is important for your overall health, treating a tanning session like you’re training for a marathon isn’t the move. Use your outdoor time wisely: Avoid too much time during peak UV hours, and use accessories like hats, sunglasses, and UFP shirts. 

OK, now on to sunscreen. “The best sunscreen is the sunscreen that you’ll actually wear,” says holistic esthetician Lesley Thornton, founder of KLUR. “I don’t argue with people about sunscreen types. Do you wear it? Great.” We like these mineral options, but ultimately it’s just about finding products you enjoy. 

I also recommend creating a sunscreen wardrobe, so you have products for many types of occasions: Water-resistant full-body options for the beach, stick formulas for on-the-go, facial powders for reapplication, and several facial lotions depending on what you’re up to that day (i.e., one for under makeup and one for bare face.) While this advice may have seemed silly a decade ago, nowadays there are so many amazing and varied sunscreen options on the market to suit any need. 

It also means caring for the skin apres sun as well: If you’ve just spent a day at the beach, be sure to hydrate and soothe your skin, to minimize any potential inflammation in the skin. In this use case, aloe vera is a popular ingredient for a reason: This comes down to one of the compounds in the juice, aloesin.

Aloesin has brightening capabilities that can help speed up this fading process. In one study, when aloe was applied to skin four times per day for two weeks, aloesin was shown to effectively fade post-acne hyperpigmentation4. Another report showed that topical application of aloesin can directly inhibit hyperpigmented skin from producing more melanin. 

2.

Visit a professional who works with skin tones like yours.

We are big believers in finding your skin care person—a professional (like an esthetician, dermatologist, or aesthetic nurse practitioner) who can help you care for skin. 

With dark spots in particular, this is important as not all advice can be universally applied. For example, broadband light (BBL) lasers are never appropriate for darker skin tones. In addition, other types of lasers need to be set to lower settings when working on skin of color so as not to trigger more dark spots—thus it’s very important to go to a pro who knows exactly how to treat your skin tone. 

Or on the ingredient front, hydroquinone (a commonly prescribed “skin lightener”) can actually have the reverse effect on the skin: “Hydroquinone in some people with darker skin carries a rare risk of a paradoxical darkening of the skin,” says board-certified dermatologist Jeremy Fenton, M.D., of Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC. While this is rare, lots of folks chose to avoid it to be extra cautious. On the product front, look for brands that note that they test on a wide variety of skin tones—especially with strong chemical exfoliators. For example, the Ourself peel we mention below.

Ultimately: “You need to make sure you’re getting treated for your skin tone. If you go into the waiting room, and there’s no one that looks like you—ask the doctor a million questions,” board-certified dermatologist Jeanine Downie, M.D., once told me about finding a dermatologist on my podcast Clean Beauty School.  

3.

Exfoliate mindfully.

Exfoliation is an extremely useful tool in fading dark spots. It is the process by which you remove the outer layer of dead skin cells (also called the stratum corneum) from the epidermis. In doing so, you remove some of the tinted skin cells that are creating the appearance of dark spots. This can be done manually (like with physical exfoliators such as scrubs) or chemically (like with AHAs and BHAs).

But just because it’s useful doesn’t mean it can’t have adverse consequences when overdone. Over-exfoliation strips the skin of its protective barrier and ultimately triggers inflammation in the skin—the thing contributing to dark spots in the first place.

While everyone’s exfoliation tolerance is different, a general guideline is one to three times a week. Another important factor to consider is the strength of the exfoliator. A good guideline for folks here:

• Sensitive and dry skin folks should stick to gentle AHAs like mandelic and lactic acid.
• For average skin, glycolic acid is a great middle-of-the-road ingredient (plus it can boost collagen production!).
• For oil and acne-prone skin, use BHAs like salicylic acid as it can help with sebum control and acne.   

4.

Use smart face care formulas.

• Vitamin C. One of the most beloved antioxidants in skin care, vitamin C is shown to help overall quality and tone by diminishing hyperpigmentation5, brightening6 tone, reducing skin inflammation5, and fighting against UV-induced photodamage7. 
• Kojic acid. Kojic acid is a fermentation byproduct that comes from several different types of fungi. This powerful ingredient is most known for its skin-lightening properties, as studies echo its ability to brighten skin and fade dark spots8.
• Licorice root extract. A common natural ingredient found in dark spot correctors, this study identifies licorice root extract as both a tyrosinase inhibitor and a melanogenesis inhibitor9.
• Aloe vera. As I noted above, aloe vera contains something called aloesin4, which has been shown to help fade dark spots and even avoid them altogether. 
• Arbutin. Arbutin is a naturally occurring chemical found in some botanical extracts like bearberry and cranberry. “Arbutin works to inhibit tyrosinase, an enzyme present in melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells in the skin,” board-certified dermatologist Tiffany Jow Libby, M.D., told us about the ingredient. “This results in less pigment, dark spots, and skin lightening.” 
• Niacinamide. Trendy thanks to its laundry list of benefits, niacinamide can also target dark spots. As this study demonstrates, niacinamide inhibits melanosome transfer10, resulting in brighter skin and reduced appearance of dark spots after four weeks of consistent use.

Yes, you can treat dark spots internally. While this won’t fade dark spots that are currently present on the surface, it will limit forming new ones as well as improve overall appearance and tone. Consume antioxidants and nutrients that can help skin deal with photodamage, such as astaxanthin, pomegranate extract, and vitamin C. 

Pomegranate has been shown in clinical studies to have the ability to enhance photoprotection11 in the skin, meaning your skin cells are better equipped to deal with UV rays and their subsequent effects. For example, one randomized controlled trial found that the pomegranate extract increased skin’s resilience12 against UVB rays, as well as changes to the skin microbiome.

Vitamin C is considered a do-it-all ingredient for the skin, and it holds that same reputation when taken internally. Studies have shown that it can manage oxidative stress in cells thanks to its antioxidant properties—this not only supports skin cell health but can help support skin from previous UV damage13. Astaxanthin is another powerful antioxidant. One study found astaxanthin improved skin wrinkles, age spot size, and skin texture14.

For our selects of the best beauty supplements that can help with dark spots, check out this list.

1. LED masks. While pricey, when LED therapy masks are used consistently they have been shown to reduce inflammation, smooth fine lines, and fade dark spots. Look for red LED tools if you’re only looking to deal with UV-induced dark spots, but opt for a blue-red combo if you are also dealing with acne and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Check out some of our favorite masks here! 
2. Facials. Aestheticians can tailor treatments to your specific needs—whether that be through peels, LED facials, brightening masks, acne treatments, and more. I cannot stress enough the value of finding a skin care professional that you see consistently. Of course, this isn’t an option for everyone (due to budgetary or location constraints), but if you can, I highly recommend making it a part of your skin care routine. 
3. In-office treatments. While daily care is vital in treating dark spots, in-office treatments can be the highly effective solution you may be looking for. A dermatologist will be able to assess your skin type and make suggestions for your specific dark spots, be it by offering a chemical peel, IPL, or other types of lasers.