Dark spot corrector

[wvjules]

Many years of not using sunscreen is showing on my face now that I'm *older*. I have uneven skin and dark spots. What dark spot corrector do you use and would recommend? I want to look good without makeup and right now I don't.

Thanks. Being the oldest person on my team and in my peer group has me super self-conscious these days.

 

[megster1123]

My skin hyperpigments and I have a ton of dark spots. I've tried products from Clinque that were way too expensive and didn't work. So I'm a fellow dark spot victim and following along in hope of some good recommendations.

 

[Gorechick]

Do a search on Sephora and Ulta and read the reviews on the products. There are many drugstore and high end skincare brands in various price ranges. I don't use a corrector, but ROC and Neutrogena seem to be pretty solid brands for general skincare.

 

[Shmily1]

Check out Never Grow Up by Perfectly Posh. It works great.

 

[DizBelle]

For hyperpigmentation, you need to use hydroquinone. 4% strength is the prescription strength. I've only found 2% available OTC. I've used the Murad product - "Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum" and found it to be pretty good.

 

[bjscheel]

I have prescription hydroquinone (4%). I didn't see the dramatic results I hoped for, but over the winter things looked pretty good. Now that it's summer, I feel like they are darker and my hydroquinone is expired, but I keep putting it on every night just in case it has some effect. Also currently looking for something OTC just to help keep it in check.

 

[diznygirl]

I used this:

http://www.olay.com/en-us/skin-care-products/regenerist-luminous-tone-perfecting-treatment

I wasn't good remembering to do it everyday, but the spot disappeared after a couple months.

 

[nkereina]

I have post acne scars that have left dark spots on my face. They don't go away, and I do use Clinique skin care products as my daily face wash/moisturizer. I bought the Clinique dark spot corrector and used the whole bottle but didn't notice results. After that, I purchased the Murad one mentioned above and found it to work really well. It takes a few weeks, but I do notice a difference. It's expensive but you only need a tiny bit each time, and I still have half the bottle left. I stopped using it because I feel it's faded enough to where I'm satisfied with how it looks. Here's a link: https://www.murad.com/product/remove-age-spots

 

[Jennasis]

I like the drug store brand Studio 35 dark spot corrector.

 

[Christine]

I've basically read that they don't go away unless they are very faint to begin with. I don't have them on my face (I'm 52, but I'm sure they are coming because my mother has them), but I have them on my forearms where I guess I get the most sun. Nothing works on them. My old hairstylist had a friend that worked in a dermatologist's office and she would go in and get the Fraxel laser on them that takes care of them. It's pretty pricey though but it works. I'm going to save up and, in a few years, I'm going to get it done on my arms. Maybe I'll have one on my face but then and I'll take care of that too!

 

[lucas]

I tried many things that didn't work and wasted money doing it. My dermatologist said that none of the over the counter things work. He did freeze a couple of really dark spots and they healed beautifully with no scarring.

 

[Kitty 34]

I sometimes use my Maybelline Cover Stick.

 

[wvjules]

It's not dark "spots" per se. There's just darker pigmentation throughout my face. Very uneven skin tone. I can't explain it well lol. I have an area of my forehead that is darker pigmentation in the shape of the Superman logo. lol

I go to the dermatologist next month for an unrelated matter and will talk to him. He has an estician on staff so I'll probably be referred to her. And I'm also going to get a facial soon so that's another resource.

Damn my unsunscreening youth! On the bright side, I have no wrinkles, not even crows feet.

 

[MickeysMommy]

It's not dark "spots" per se. There's just darker pigmentation throughout my face. Very uneven skin tone. I can't explain it well lol. I have an area of my forehead that is darker pigmentation in the shape of the Superman logo. lol

I go to the dermatologist next month for an unrelated matter and will talk to him. He has an estician on staff so I'll probably be referred to her. And I'm also going to get a facial soon so that's another resource.

Damn my unsunscreening youth! On the bright side, I have no wrinkles, not even crows feet.

It's called "melasma" and I have it The only thing that will really work is the prescription hydroquinone. I get it every time my face is exposed to sun and it will never go away. It gets better in the winter but not entirely gone. Mine started when I was 35 and on a bunch of different birth control pills to try to regulate me (mind you I've been on the pill since I was 19 - don't really know why it started 5 years ago). Speak to your dermatologist and hopefully he can get you the script. Prescription retin-a, in conjunction with the hydroquinone, also helps but it can be super drying.
Good luck!

 

[mom2grace]

Ask your derm if they do laser treatments, it made a difference for me, but I want to do a maintenance treatment this year!

 

[Imzadi]

For hyperpigmentation, you need to use hydroquinone. 4% strength is the prescription strength. I've only found 2% available OTC. I've used the Murad product - "Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum" and found it to be pretty good.

I've read the newest treatment, instead of hydroquinone, which never works very well and often makes the spots worse once someone stops, is Vitamin C. Look for products containing it. I used one by Garnier. It worked better than hydroquinone, but like every product out, didn't get rid of the dark spots completely.

Then one time, I had a bad sunburn, as the Bare Minerals foundation, which claims to have an SPF, totally sweated off my face. I went to Walgreens, bought a tube of pure aloe vera gel. I slathered that on for the sunburn several times over a couple days and noticed that it also lightened my dark spots considerably and evened out my skin tone. Since most of my dark spots are "sun spots" and aloe vera is rich in Vit C and is good for skin burns & skin problems, it works for me.

I then Googled and read stuff online where people are even just adding Vit C powder to aloe vera gel or their own moisturizer and smoothing it on instead of buying a more expensive dark spot corrector with Vit C already in it. One can just buy Vit C at Amazon and read the reviews, saying it lightens the dark spots.

While there are MANY phony Amazon reviews for every product they list on their website, this product has 7,947 customer reviews:
https://www.amazon.com/OZNaturals-C...4_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=WDXZRQ5XS48JFH4XC6Q4

Here's a totally different brand with 10,926 customer reviews. So it's not one company/brand that has faux customers making claims for their one product:
https://www.amazon.com/ArtNaturals-..._UL160_SR128,160_&refRID=WDXZRQ5XS48JFH4XC6Q4


Here is just the Vitamin C powder:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VEE5YM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=RFB5TK7QYW0H&coliid=I3KK0CATR7JOFS

 

[gottaluvPluto]

I would just go to a dermatologist and get different solutions from them. They will know what works and what doesn't.

 

[wvjules]

pluto, I am. I just wanted real world opinions from people that I "know".

I have aloe vera gel at home so I will start with that for now.

Thanks everyone. I've enjoyed aging with you. lol

 

[threeboysmom]

For a natural remedy, I've heard apple cider vinegar, lemon oil, or hydrogen peroxide all work on fading age/sun spots.

I've used the apple cider vinegar treatment on a mole that I've always hated - completely gone now so I can attest to that working. Haven't tried the others.

 

[Christine]

As another poster said, this sounds like melasma rather than dark spots due to sun.

Oral contraceptives are a big cause of it and it you tend to have some olive tones in your skin you are predisposed to it.