Dark Spots / Melasma

Picture Imperfect

Don’t believe what you see in the movies: no one’s skin is a perfectly even tone from chin to forehead. But while some variation is normal, dark spots and melasma are usually unwelcome squatters that take up residence where we don’t want them.

Fortunately, skin care researchers want them gone as much as you do, so they’ve created plenty of products to fight unwanted dark spots and give you clearer, more even skin.

What Causes Dark Spots?

All of us have a type of skin cell called melanocytes, which are cells that produce pigment for our skin. When those melanocytes go overboard and produce too much pigment, it creates a spot or patch of skin that’s darker than the rest of our skin.

Why exactly does that happen? Most of the time it comes from sun damage. When you’re exposed to the sun, your melanocytes produce a little extra pigment to protect the deeper layers of your skin from the sun’s radiation – that’s why you develop a tan. But with too much sun exposure over time, they can produce long-lasting dark spots.

Are Age Spots a Natural Part of Aging?

You’ve probably heard dark spots referred to as “age spots” because they tend to pop up more and more as we get older. But unlike lines and wrinkles, age spots aren’t necessarily a natural part of aging. They come from accumulated sun damage over your lifetime, which is why they appear more and more as you get older, but they’re the result of sun exposure rather than the natural aging process.

What Causes Melasma?

Melasma is a condition that creates dark patches of skin from excess pigment your skin cells have produced. Unlike most brown spots, though, melasma is the result of hormones. That’s why it’s most often seen during pregnancy. Keep in mind, though, that melasma can also get worse from sun exposure.

How Do I Know if It’s Melasma or Other Dark Spots?

It can be tricky to tell the difference between melasma and a typical age spot. While the surefire way is to ask your dermatologist, there are clues you can look to as well. Melasma almost exclusively appears on your face and not other areas of your body. Melasma is also symmetrical, meaning it’ll look the same on the right side and left side of your face, while age spots are more varied. Finally, melasma tends to form larger patches while age spots tend to be smaller spots, although this can vary on both counts.

How Do You Get Rid of Dark Spots or Melasma?

Melasma usually fades when your hormones go back to normal (or relatively normal), such as after you give birth. But if you have lasting melasma or if you have age spots, the good news is that there are a lot of topical products that can help. Products for hyperpigmentation, AKA excess pigment, are designed to reduce dark spots to give you a more even complexion.