If you’re a sun-lover, but you also like to look after your skin, you’re stuck in something of a quandary as your preference for the former directly clashes with your desire for the latter. One of the natural bi-products of being out in the sun is hyperpigmentation a.k.a. dark spots. So, if this sounds like you, it really is important to have a balancing treatment for dark spots in your skin care routine if you want to retain a healthy and unblemished look.
Dark patches and spots represent one of the leading causes of people visiting their dermatologist and while sun exposure is one of the primary reasons why they appear, it’s not the only reason.
Other Reasons Why Dark Spots Occur
There are a myriad of reasons why you might need treatment for dark spots and some of them might surprise you. Let’s see why this extra melanin is produced in the skin.
- After psoriasis and pimples clear away dark spots can be left behind
- After the application of particular internal or topical medications
- After a healed injury, cut, insect bite or burn
- As a result of a reaction to a particular hair or skin product
- Because of fluctuations in hormones as happens during a pregnancy
If it is your medication causing the problem, what we do not recommend is stopping taking it without discussing the matter with your doctor. They’ve prescribed it to you for a reason and there may be an alternative option that doesn’t have the same side-effects.
Speeding Up the Process With Treatment for Dark Spots
The problem is that when the discoloration is deep beneath the skin, the fading process can literally take years to occur. The good news is that there are treatments that can greatly speed up this process.
Of course, prevention is always better than a cure, so we’ll start off by saying that an effective sunscreen should be part of your skincare routine regardless of anything else. The sun is an issue whether it’s cloudy or not, so you need protection or you will have to deal with hyperpigmentation at some point.
A mineral sunscreen that contains titanium dioxide or zinc oxide is best as they’re typically non-comedogenic and as a result won’t block your pores and lead to breakouts and the chance of more dark spots appearing. By dealing with the source of the discoloration, you help dark spot treatments to work better.
When you’re in the market for a dark spot treatment, look for the following ingredients to help lighten and eventually eliminate these areas:
- Mineral Oil
- Glyceryl Stearate
- Stearic Acid
- Citric Acid
- Retinoic Acid
- Hydroquinone
It’s important to look for the ingredients listed above, as they not only reduce the appearance of dark spots, but can actually hold back melanin production, so it will prevent them from returning to some extent.
Get a Quality Treatment for Dark Spots
Unfortunately, not all dark spot treatments are created equally and when purchasing yours, cost should be something of a secondary consideration. This is the case for most types of cosmetics and skin care products as it’s what’s inside that really counts.
Don’t settle for second best, insist on the ingredients shown and you should see your dark spots disappear before you know it.
