Several skin conditions affect humans. A good example is facial dark spots. The good news is a lot of them can be treated. It’s best to start treatment as soon as such is discovered.
The human body’s face is its most expressive feature. We must keep it as healthy and beautiful as we can. We can treat some dark spots with ointments and other facial products, however, it’s best that we consult with dermatologists.
They are experts in dermatology and can help with skin-related problems. A dermatologist will be able to recommend the best solutions for you and your dilemmas, such as products to take and services to use.
What Is a Facial Dark Spot?
Dark spots on the face are also called black spots or pigmentation. People get black spots or dark spots on their faces for various reasons.
However, the most common reason for getting these spots on the face is hyperpigmentation. This happens when your body overproduces the brown pigment in your skin cells.
This usually happens when you have too many dead skin cells or other reasons. Which can’t be eliminated through natural exfoliation like irritations, acne, etc.
This is why it is important to consult a dermatologist because not only is he/she an expert on this field, but he/she will also be able to explain why such a condition happens to you in a manner that people will understand.
Why It Is Important To Get Rid Of Facial Black Spot
The first thing that comes to mind about the black spot is a facial blemish. A lot of people adore having smooth faces and glowing skin. No one will prefer a dark spot-covered face. This is based on cosmetic reasons.
What about medical reasons?
Black spots can be an indication of skin cancer. That’s why it is important to get rid of facial dark spots. Also, there are other factors that can lead to the formation of facial dark spots. It could be decreased in the amount of melanin pigment, age spots, and sun exposure are one of them.
Dermatologists emphasize the importance of getting rid of facial dark spots. Especially as soon as it is noticed. Because it could be an indication of some chronic skin condition.
With the passing years, our body’s ability to generate melanin (pigment) decreases. This leads to lighter or darker patches on the skin, called age spots. We lose more and more pigment from our skin, thus, making it susceptible to UV light damage. As a result, this leads to wrinkles, sagging, and developing brown patches on our faces.
Note that there’s a difference between dark spots and freckles. The latter is not an indication of a skin disorder and natural freckles don’t need treatment.
However, there are ways to remove them which include:
- Laser treatments
- Chemicals like alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) and trichloroacetic acid (TCA)
- Cryotherapy
- Creams such as retinol (Vitamin A)
8 Effective Ways To Eliminate Facial Dark Spots
There are many possible causes of dark spots. Each one has a different therapy. Dermatologist products are widely available for each skin condition. The following are some recommended treatments for dark spots on the face.
- Antioxidant Serum
Topical vitamin C serums have been shown in research to help reduce post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. It also diminishes dark spots brought on by sun exposure. Additionally, vitamin C functions as an antioxidant. Which also prevents oxidative stress and skin discoloration as a result.
Free radicals are what cause oxidative stress. This can arise from both internal and external sources. This includes stress and environmental variables like pollution and UV exposure.
Regardless of having dark spots or not, you must protect your skin with antioxidants. This is a positive step because they are, to put it mildly, pretty difficult to prevent.
- Physical Exfoliation
One must start exfoliating the skin manually with scrubs, or any other item that scrapes against the skin. This is known as physical exfoliation.
It is not entirely accurate that cleaning the skin would remove black spots. So it’s best to avoid using harsh, salty scrubs.
If you must exfoliate physically, take care when doing so. Be gentle and don’t rub too hard. Use a washcloth as a decent alternative, for light physical exfoliation.
- Retinol
Both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription-grade retinoids can be used to aid in lightening dark spots. Also, retinoids prevent melanosomes from being transferred to keratinocytes. Retinoids speed up epidermal turnover and facilitate the rapid removal of discolored dead skin cells. It also facilitates the appearance of fresh ones.
If you’re one who is prone to acne, you can benefit from retinoids which can control outbreaks. Therefore, you might want to think about using retinol as your dark spot treatment. Especially if your dark spots are the result of prior breakouts. Also if those breakouts are still common.
- BHAs and AHAs
Beta and alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs and BHAs) can both aid in lightening black patches. Despite being separate items, they perform similarly.
Lactic acid, glycolic acid, and mandelic acid help reduce dark spots by merely exfoliating the skin. However, they can be irritating to some skin type. Also, the irritation can exacerbate some types of inflammation. This occurs particularly in deeper skin tones.
Mandelic acid might be a better choice than glycolic or lactic acids. Especially if your skin is a little more sensitive to AHAs. Even though this substance is gentler, it will eventually help lighten dark spots.
- Arbutin
Arbutin is essentially a natural alternative to the contentious hydroquinone. It has also been demonstrated to lighten hyperpigmentation.
A component called arbutin lowers tyrosinase activity. Tyrosinase is a family of skin enzymes that aid in the pigmentation of the skin. It has a delayed release mechanism. Which makes this lightning agent a little gentler than its conventional counterparts.
- Facials
Facials can be useful for treating dark spots as well. The best kind of facials to treat dark spots are typically classified as brightening facials. A lot of dermatologists recommend skin care products that have this brightening element.
These will help to exfoliate the skin and also inhibit the production of melanin. In addition, it will increase cell turnover. To help eliminate those unwanted blemishes.
- LED Lighting
In general, LED lights won’t directly aid in lightning-dark spot areas. However, they are crucial for stopping new spots. Particularly those brought on by breakouts.
They do aid in the healing of a breakout. Also in assisting in a breakout’s prevention. Therefore, LED light equipment may be useful. Especially if you are sick of those bothersome post-acne patches.
You can use an at-home LED light gadget. Better still, go to a dermatologist for an LED light therapy face.
- Lasers
Another alternative available is laser therapy. Lasers assist to brighten dark spots in several ways. One is it ablates the pigment, causing it to flake off. The best laser procedure will depend on some variables. This includes the skin type, skin tone, recent sun exposure, and the source of the black spot.
You should know, not every laser is a perfect match for everyone. Select the course of therapy that will work for you and will cause the fewest side effects. It is imperative to speak with a dermatologist for an efficient recommendation on the best laser services to avail.
Conclusion
You want to eliminate the responsible agent which is causing the dark spot. If you have been using any type of bleaching cream, stop doing so immediately. It will only make the dark spot worse.
The best thing you can do at this point is to consult a dermatologist. He/she will be able to recommend the best course of action to your facial dark spot problems. Whether it be through facial products or laser treatments.