Whether you’ve got acne or sun damage, some skin concerns don’t go away quietly—many leave dark spots behind. But figuring out how to get rid of dark spots can be just as challenging as solving what caused them in the first place. They’re hard to hide and slow to fade. And some, as in the case of melasma, can be a long-term issue.
But there’s good news: A little treatment can go a long way, especially if you know what led to your hyperpigmentation. Here’s everything you need to know about how to get rid of dark spots for all skin types.
What are dark spots?
A dark spot is an area of extra pigment in the skin, Carmen Castilla, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in NYC, tells Glamour. They can come in a variety of forms, including age spots, sun spots, and melasma.
Though these areas often fade in time, skin care products like dark spot correctors can speed up the process of evening out your skin tone. Ingredients like hydroquinone, turmeric, and other proven brighteners in particular accelerate skin resurfacing and minimize pigment, says Rachel Nazarian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City.
What causes dark spots on your face?
Not all dark spots are created equal. The answer depends on the type of dark spot, of which there are three main causes, says Ted Lain, MD, a dermatologist at Sanova Medical in Austin, Texas.
Small freckles or slightly larger spots are the result of sun exposure. If you have acne-prone skin, you may already be familiar with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, a.k.a. acne scars, which are the dark spots that occur when your pigment production goes on the fritz after any sort of inflammation in the area, be it a breakout or some other skin injury (like pimple picking). Lastly, there’s melasma, which presents most often as dark discoloration on your cheeks, forehead, nose, and chin; it can be triggered by sun exposure or hormonal changes, which is why many women develop it during pregnancy, says Miami dermatologist Alicia Barba, MD.
While their originating sources may differ, these dark spots all have one major thing in common: inflammation, which “can trigger your skin to produce pigment,” says Dr. Lain.
At-home treatments for dark spots
Good news: You’ve got a lot of treatment options, including home remedies, skin care tools, and over-the-counter products like serums and toners.
There are three classes of ingredients that help fade dark spots. First up: tranexamic acid, which targets that inflammation. Second is another class of ingredients that blocks the cell’s engine that produces pigment, according to Dr. Lain: “These include hydroquinone, kojic acid, licorice extract, and arbutin.” Vitamin C is also in this category. And last, there are the exfoliators to remove the pigment that’s already on your skin, such as glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids.
It’s not enough to pick just one from that list. “Focusing on one of the classes of ingredients mentioned above is the most common mistake,” says Dr. Lain. You need to have an all-encompassing approach to take down dark spots quickly. And by quickly, we’re talking a few weeks—though there’s no set amount of time. “Improvement speed depends on the cause of pigmentation,” says Dr. Barba. “Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from acne, for example, takes about four to six weeks to fade after acne is controlled.”
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The exception here is melasma. “Melasma pigmentation is chronic, and this is the hardest point to drive home in my patients when they suffer from melasma,” Dr. Barba says. ”It’s a constant tug of war.”
That’s because melasma is caused by an overactive melanocyte, the type of skin cell that produces pigment, so it requires constant treatment. However, studies show promise for the treatment of melasma with topical ingredients that are (bonus) easy to find. Experts surmise that tranexamic acid may interfere with the activation of melanocytes in one review, while a study exploring the effects of niacinamide on melasma found that it may keep melanocytes from sending their freshly made pigment to the skin’s surface.
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Last but not least, sunscreen is a nonnegotiable when combating harmful ultraviolet rays and preventing skin cancer. (And as Dr. Barba points out, avoiding the sun altogether costs $0.) Sun exposure is a major factor in both the development and the worsening of dark spots across the board, be they from acne or melasma.
Ultimately, she says, “Nothing matters if you don’t tilt the balance toward brightening your skin by avoiding the factors that cause pigment formation.” So if you’re serious about getting an even skin tone, sun protection should be a part of your skin care routine for dark spots.
Microdermabrasion can also reduce the appearance of dark spots and is available as both at-home and in-office treatment. If you want to try at-home microdermabrasion, there are plenty of tools available.
Howard Sobel, MD, a dermatologic surgeon, says microdermabrasion is a noninvasive treatment that gently exfoliates the top layer of skin and provides a “refreshed and glowing appearance.”
Varuni Palacios, an esthetician and founder of Studio Varuni in Los Angeles, recommends microdermabrasion because it’s painless with zero downtime: “The treatment exfoliates the thick, outermost layer of the epidermis, which is called the stratum corneum.” This treatment has actually been around since 1985 (and became FDA-approved in 1996) as a less aggressive alternative to chemical exfoliation.
Palacios says that microdermabrasion works by using devices with superfine exfoliating crystal or diamond tips that remove dead skin cells. “The result is a more even skin tone and a brighter complexion, in addition to a reduction in dark spots and even wrinkles over time,” she explains.
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Retinol is a catchall term for topical skin care products that contain a vitamin A derivative. If you want to talk specifics, retinol is technically a type of retinoid typically available over the counter, while tretinoin requires a prescription, since it has more potent concentrations. “Retinoids work by increasing collagen production as well as increasing the rate of skin-cell turnover,” says Shari Marchbein, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City.
According to Dendy Engelman, MD, a board-certified NYC-based dermatologist, retinol is one of the best ways to combat dark spots and discoloration while also preventing further breakouts: “Retinol, also known as vitamin A, can help fade hyperpigmentation marks by stimulating cell turnover, so regular use can help fade dark spots over time and has many benefits for the appearance, health, and function of skin overall.”
Retinol comes with side effects such as dryness and skin irritation, so make sure to build up your tolerance when you first start using it. Start with applying it once a week, then twice a week, then every other day, and so on. Additionally, it’s critically important to wear sunscreen every day while using retinoids, since the intense exfoliation can make skin extra sensitive to sun damage.
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According to Fatma Shaheen, aesthetician and founder of Skin Design London, one of the best uses for chemical peels is to smooth texture and lessen the appearance of dark spots. They can also treat ongoing breakouts.
“Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) such as glycolic acid tend to treat the top layer, so you can use them quite consistently, and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) like salicylic acid are for going a little bit deeper and cleaning pores,” she says.
Shaheen likes to combine AHAs and BHAs for acne-prone skin. Ultimately, your pores are clean and everything feels tighter, says Shaheen. One important tip she gives: Consistency will make sure you see and maintain results.
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In-office dermatologist treatments for dark spots
A board-certified dermatologist can help you figure out how to get rid of dark spots. The first line of treatment is a medium-to-high-strength chemical peel. “Intense exfoliation may accelerate the lightening of dark spots,” says Dr. Lain. “Since the production of pigment occurs in the lower levels of the epidermis, the most effective peels reach this depth.” These peels work by literally sloughing off the pigmented cells.
Hydradermabrasion, also known as a HydraFacial, stimulates collagen production while increasing blood flow to the skin. The technique combines the deep exfoliation of microdermabrasion with hydration by infusing serums with ingredients like hyaluronic acid into the skin.
For sun spots and post-acne marks—think brown spots—both Dr. Lain and Dr. Barba recommend photofacial laser therapy, which uses intense pulsed light (or IPL).“This treatment uses a range of wavelengths—not just one, as with most lasers—to target the pigment, eventually causing the pigment to rise to the very top of the skin and slough off about a week after the treatment,” says Dr. Lain. Dr. Barba is also a fan of the picosecond laser, which blasts the clump of pigment in question to break it up.
Melasma, ever the exception, doesn’t respond well to laser treatments. “It always comes back,” says Dr. Barba. Sure, you’ll remove the dark spots it creates—but those overactive melanocytes will keep chugging, making more pigment. That means that in-office treatments, which are more expensive, may not be financially sustainable. Your best bet is sticking with those topical ingredients.
How to treat dark spots on deeper skin tones
“Hyperpigmentation is triggered by an overproduction of melanin in the skin,” says Deanne Robinson, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Westport, Connecticut. “There are a few ways that melanin production is triggered into overdrive—these are primarily sun exposure, hormonal changes, age, skin injury, and inflammation,” she says; this results in post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), which is the dark spots that pop up after a breakout, and melasma, which is driven by hormones and worsens with sun exposure. Anyone can experience hyperpigmentation, but it’s this overproduction of melanin that explains why people of color are most prone to it.
Some of the best hyperpigmentation treatments for women of color include retinol, glycolic acid, vitamin C, niacinamide, and tranexamic acid to encourage cell turnover and block pigment transfer. Ingredients like azelaic acid, vitamin C, kojic acid, and alpha-arbutin can stop pigment production in its tracks.
When it comes to in-office options, skin of color warrants a more cautious approach, as certain treatments can actually make dark spots worse. “Those with skin of color need to be very careful of inflammation when treating pigmentation,” says Dr. Barba. “That’s because inflammation or any burning of your skin can also cause pigmentation.” That’s especially the case when it comes to lasers and peels, which are already risky for use on dark and deep skin, dark spots aside. For instance, IPL and broadband light (BBL) therapy can be dangerous for BIPOC and darker skin tones.
According to nurse practitioner Shawnda Dorantes of Beauty Lounge Med Spa in Southern California, laser skin care was initially designed for lighter skin colors. “Historically, laser treatments weren’t always inclusive when it came to different skin tones, particularly for melanated skin,” says Dorantes. “Lasers work by targeting pigment, so with darker skin, there’s naturally more melanin and pigment. Some lasers can’t distinguish well between the pigment in the skin and the treatment target—like hair follicles, age spots, or blood vessels. This can lead to complications.”
Seek out a board-certified dermatologist who has experience treating skin of color. Some of the best lasers for treating BIPOC and darker skin tones include NdYag lasers (Laser Genesis, ClearLift), Pico lasers (Pico Genesis, PicoSure, PicoWay, PicoPlus), Erbium YAG, and resurfacing lasers (Clear + Brilliant, Halo, Fraxel).
Deanna Pai is a beauty writer in New York City. Follow her on Instagram @deannapai.
