You can work hard to take care of your skin and still end up with dark spots of discoloration that seem impossible to remove. Even if you wear SPF 30 every time you’re in the sunlight, there may be other reasons you seem to develop an uneven skin tone.
When your skin tone is uneven, finding the right cosmetic shades can be challenging and may even make you feel uncomfortable going bare-faced. We’re here to help. We’ll explain why dark spots happen on your face and tell you about natural solutions that can help you reduce their appearance.
What’s Causing Your Spots?
Dark spots happen for numerous reasons. According to experts, darker skin tones are most likely to deal with dark spots, and these areas of discoloration are due to increased melanin production in the skin.
Melanin gives the skin its tone and color, and sometimes melanin production increases in small areas or patches, creating the appearance of dark spots.
What causes excess melanin production? There are several different reasons why it might happen.
Sun Exposure
One of the most common reasons you might notice dark spots because of sun exposure without proper sun protection. The sun damages your skin, most obviously with a sunburn. UV rays cause melanin production to increase, causing a dark spot or sunspot. These are sometimes referred to as liver spots.
Wearing sunscreen and protective clothing is the easiest way to prevent the development of these types of dark spots.
Hormonal Changes
Changes in hormones can increase melanin production in the skin. Melasma is one of the most common dark spots due to hormonal changes. Melasma can be caused by hormonal changes experienced during pregnancy or by taking birth control pills.
These can change skin pigment in areas on the face and neck and result in darker regions that may not go away once the medication is stopped or once the pregnancy is over.
If your dark spots result from melasma or hormones, you’ll need to consult your doctor to get to the root of the problem.
Blemish Scars
Blemishes from pimples, blackheads, or whiteheads can leave scars on skin darker than the skin surrounding them. This is especially true if you pick or pop the bumps instead of allowing them to disappear independently.
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is caused by trauma on the skin, which can be from wounds, cuts, scrapes, insect bites, or bumps and blemishes that are picked or popped. Sometimes cystic breakouts leave scars even if you leave the blemish alone. If you’re dealing with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, consult your dermatologist for professional advice on combating it.
Aging
As we age, the skin changes. The two proteins that support the skin, collagen, and elastin, are produced in smaller amounts, and the speed with which our skin renews itself (called skin cell turnover) begins to slow down. This means that dark spots may become more prominent, and fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin may also become more noticeable.
Free Radicals
Oxidative stress, also known as free radical damage, can cause dark spots on the skin. Free radicals damage skin cells from the sun, cigarette smoke, and pollution. You can protect your skin from free radical damage by loading up on antioxidants, which support the overall health of your skin cells— even during free extreme exposure.
Can You Prevent Dark Spots?
Some dark spots can’t be prevented, but there are steps you can take to make sure you are preventing the ones you can:
- Always wear sunscreen. Even if you don’t plan to be outdoors much, and even if it's overcast, you may still be exposed to ultraviolet rays. Using a moisturizer that contains sunscreen may be the easiest way to ensure you always protect your skin.
- Use innovative skincare products. The ingredients in your skincare matter, and using products filled with antioxidants, like a vitamin C serum, can help support your skin during exposure to free radicals.
- Exfoliating. The top layer of the skin comprises a thin layer of dead skin cells. New skin cells are made in the deepest layers of the skin and gradually move to the surface. Removing the dead skin cells can support new cell growth and create an even skin color and tone.
Once you’re using the right products and taking steps to prevent dark spots, you can reduce the ones you have.
How Can You Fade the Look of Dark Spots?
You still have options for dark spot removal if you do not try invasive or painful treatments, like laser treatments, skin bleaching, or chemical peels. Microcurrent technology is one of the best ways to reduce the appearance of dark spots.
What Is Microcurrent?
Microcurrent treatment uses small, hand-held devices to deliver low-level electrical current to the skin. Microcurrent treatment helps support new skin cells, activating them and encouraging proper skin cell turnover and collagen production, which can help reduce the appearance of fine lines, deep-set wrinkles, and dark spots.
How To Use Microcurrent for Dark Spots
It’s easy to use microcurrent to treat your dark spots.
Combining the power of a microcurrent device with a powerful, brightening serum will help you reduce the appearance of dark spots faster. NuFACE Super Vita-C Booster Serum is packed with antioxidant power and formulated to help increase the results of your microcurrent treatment.
- IonPlex®, our proprietary blend of mineral ions and glacial water, helps ensure proper microcurrent conduction and is safe and effective for all skin types.
- Antioxidants from vitamin C and niacinamide (vitamin B3) help brighten skin, fade the look of discoloration, and protect skin during free radical exposure.
Add this easy-to-apply serum to your skincare routine by applying it to damp/dry skin after cleansing. Then, follow up with a NuFACE Activator Gel before beginning your microcurrent treatment with your favorite NuFACE device.
Get Current About Dark Spots
Dark spots come from many sources, like the sun or hormonal shifts. Discoloration can make it hard for you to wear makeup and feel confident in your skin.
However, you aren’t limited to invasive peels, microdermabrasion, or laser therapy to get rid of them — using potent serums and the power of microcurrent can help you reduce the look of dark spots without any downtime or harsh side effects.
NuFACE makes it easy to harness the power of the current. Our devices are designed to give you accurate results that firm, tighten, and brighten the skin in just minutes a day. So don’t let dark spots ruin your day.
Sources:
How to fade dark spots in darker skin tones| American Academy of Dermatology
