Having a dark spot on your skin can be depressing if it does not go away for a considerable period. Sometimes it feels that they have become part and parcel of your personality and outlook. You think that you have to bear these dark spots on your skin for a lifetime. But this is not true! You do not have to suffer from such menace. There is no shame in asking for professional help and get them treated once and for all.

The dark spots will surely fade away once the underlying cause has been identified and treated. A spot that is only a few shades darker than your normal skin tone will often dissolve between the ages of six and twelve months.

Well, if the pigment is embedded deep inside your skin, fading these spots might take years. Dark spots located deep in the skin often have a color range from dark blue to grey. It is also possible that it is brown, one which is significantly darker than your actual skin color.

What Causes Dark Spots on Skin?

The common skin condition is known as hyperpigmentation, which expresses itself as dark spots on the face. It can be caused when the skin generates an excessive amount of the pigment melanin. The sun, scars, age, and other factors can all contribute to hyperpigmentation of the skin.

The treatment may enhance the removal of dark spots and any patches on the skin. Treatment for dark spots depends upon the causes of dark spots and skin type.

Causes of Dark Spots

Dark spots can be caused by a variety of factors, including the following:

➔ Sunlight

People can develop dark spots on their skin after being exposed to the sun for a longer period. These spots go by various names, including sunspots, solar vitiligo, and dark spots.

Sunspots are most prone to appear on the body parts that are subjected to the most direct sunlight, such as the hands, face, and arms.

➔ Adverse Reactions to a Medication

Several pharmaceuticals have been linked to an increase in skin pigmentation and the development of dark spots. Nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory medicines (also known as NSAIDs), tetracycline, and psychiatric pharmaceuticals are the most likely culprits in this circumstance.

➔ Healing of a wound

After an insect bite, blister, or wound has healed, you may be left with dark spots. These may become less noticeable with time.

➔ Hyperpigmentation by Diabetes

Diabetes can cause hyperpigmentation of the skin in some parts of the body. Diabetes may lead to several skin conditions that create darker, velvety skin; shin spots, also known as diabetic dermopathy, which some people mistake for age spots.

➔ Itchiness Due to Products

Products intended for the skin or hair intended for cosmetic use might cause skin itchiness, leading to the development of dark spots.

➔ Transitions in Hormone Levels

Melasma is a skin disorder that causes the darkening of the skin in the form of different patches. Women, especially pregnant women, are more likely to suffer from this problem than males.

Melasma is a condition caused by hormones, as stated by the American Academy of Dermatology.

How to Get Rid of Dark Spots?

You can easily get rid of dark spots if you know the causes. Different dermatologists recommend various medications and creams for getting rid of dark spots. Some best treatments are:-

● Hydroquinone

Hydroquinone is the gold standard for dark spot treatments. It is one of the faster dark spot removers. Over-the-counter concentrations are 2% or less, whereas prescriptions are 4% or more. Hydroquinone inhibits tyrosinase, an enzyme that helps produce melanin. Less tyrosinase leads to less melanin.

Hydroquinone starts working within two weeks. Depending on the hyperpigmentation, how deeply it penetrates, how long it’s been there, etc. It may take 8 to 12 weeks to notice a significant improvement.

● Kojic Acid

Kojic acid is utilized in skin color correctors and works best with hydroquinone. It suppresses pigment cell activity. Topical kojic acid often causes allergic dermatitis. Hence it’s present at low amounts.” Sensitive skin should use low dosages at night to avoid redness and irritation. Topical kojic acid might take months to improve hyperpigmentation.

● Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a topical antioxidant that prevents free radicals from damaging the skin. It suppresses enzymatic mechanisms that create melanin in the skin. Vitamin C lightens just problem pigmentation regions, not the rest of your skin.

● Sunscreen Spray

Use a sunscreen spray with all of the following to prevent (and remove) black spots:

SPF 30 or Higher.
Water-resistance.
Titanium dioxide or zinc oxide.

● Laser

For those who do not find other treatments useful, go for a laser treatment. It is recommended by a dermatologist when any other option does not work. Lasers are the most costly and effective dark spot treatment. It employs a concentrated light beam to break up and eradicate pigment particles in the skin. Intense Pulse Light can cure pigmentation. It produces less concentrated light and may have an unexpected effect on the skin, especially darker or tanned skin.