Dark Spots 101

Learn about some of the common causes of dark spots on face and discover our products to help diminish and help correct the appearance of dark spots on face.

Dark spots and discoloration on face can often be indicators of skin aging and result in a lack luster and uneven looking skin tone. If you’re looking to learn more about dark spots and what are some of its causes you’ve come to the right place. With our guide you can learn about some of the causes of dark spots appearing on face and which Lancôme products can help correct and reduce the appearance of dark spots and uneven skin tone.

What Are Some Common Causes of Dark Spots and Uneven Skin Tone

Dark spots and discoloration can make your complexion and skin tone appear uneven – but what causes them? Dark spots can be caused by a variety of different things but most often they’re associated with sun damage and skin aging.

On fairer and lighter skin tones dark spots are most often caused by sun damage. Prolonged sun exposure can cause an increase in melanin (the skin’s natural pigment). That increase in melanin causes skin pigment on the skin to become noticeably darker. In addition to dark spots, or sun spots as they may be referred to appearing due to prolonged sun exposure, dark spots can also show up later in life and are commonly known as age spots. Age spots are likely to show up later in life and those with fair skin may start to see them on their skin much earlier. One thing to note – although sun spots and age spots are usually harmless – make sure to watch them and talk to your dermatologist if you notice any changes as recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation and the American Cancer Society.

Not all dark spots are caused by sun damage – trauma to the skin such as blisters, skin infection, or a wound may also leave scarring or dark spots on the skin especially for those with a darker Thankfully, these types of dark spots may decrease in darkness over time. It’s also worth noting that dark spots resulting from acne or pimples are often referred to as post inflammatory hyperpigmentation and are more likely to affect those with darker skin tones.

Our Serums to Help Correct the Appearance of Dark Spots

Correcting the appearance of dark spots isn’t something that happens overnight — but incorporating a dark spot corrector into your skincare routine can be key in helping to diminish the appearance of dark spots. We suggest looking at products formulated with Vitamin C, Glycolic Acid, and Retinol in particular.

Vitamin C is one ingredient which has regularly been shown to help the appearance of dark spots – it’s a powerhouse skincare ingredient and it’s one ingredient that is featured in our Rénergie H.C.F. Triple Dose Serum — an innovation as part of the Rénergie Ultra skincare line. This new serum is specially formulated to improve the look of volume loss, visibly reduce wrinkles, & brighten dark spot appearance.

A first of its kind on the market — this triple dose serum is made of three separate serums (a gel, cream, and emulsion formula) housed in three separate chambers which are dispensed individually and then blended together immediately before application to create one dose encompassing multiple benefits. The unique packaging allows for a fresh dose of product with each use. The formula contains Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C+, Niacinamide and Ferulic Acid. These ingredients are crafted into very considerate concentrations to ensure they complement each other within the formula to provide a gentle and caring experience. This is something especially important to consider when looking at products to help visibly correct dark spots: some brightening ingredients and products designed for those with dark spots (such as serums) can cause skin sensitivity and redness during their initial use. With a specialized concentration of ingredients H.C.F. serum incorporates brightening ingredients with optimal ingredient concentrations that complement the other ingredient properties within the formula.

Studies show that Niacinamide helps brighten and lighten dark spots . Rénergie H.C.F. Triple Serum uses a unique combination of fast-working Vitamin C plus Niacinamide (Vitamin B3). These key ingredients in the serum work to brighten skin and visibly reduce the appearance of dark spots. Our serum uses a shelf-stable form of Vitamin C also known as “Activated C” – a potent, highly stabilized form of Vitamin C that goes to work immediately upon contact with the skin

The serum has been clinically shown to improve the appearance of dark spot intensity and dark spot size. With just 8 weeks of continued use, women agreed that dark spots appeared visibly smaller and brighter. Clinical studies showed dark spots were visibly smaller (-14.1%) and less intense (-15.0%)*
*Based on 8-week results in a clinical study of 45 women.

Use Sunscreen to Help Protect Skin and Prevent New Dark Spots from Forming

Regardless of what type of skin pigmentation or dark spots on your face you have – sunscreen is a must. Sunlight and sun damage can prolong the intensity and darkness of any dark spots and continued exposure to sunlight can ultimately leave dark spots looking worse. . Daily use of sunscreen can help prevent new dark spots and patches from forming when used with other sun protection measures.

Certain products and ingredients (such as retinoids and retinol) are commonly found in products targeted to help correct dark spots and can increase skins photosensitivity (meaning it becomes more sensitive to the sun and sun damage). This makes wearing sunscreen daily even more important. So which sunscreen should you use if you are trying to correct the appearance of dark spots? For daily sunscreen and sun protection with dark spot correction try Rénergie Lift Multi-Action Ultra Face Cream with SPF 30. The luxurious day cream with SPF helps corrects the look of dark spots, visibly lifts, firms, and provides hydration and sun protection when used with other sun protection measures. The formula is enriched with Linseed Extract and LHA (Lipo Hydroxy Acid) which helps to reduce the appearance of dark spots SPF 30 helps to provide protection against future environmental skin damage, including dark spots (when used with other sun protection measures).

Shop dark spot correcting treatments and Rénergie H.C.F. Triple Dose Serum with Vitamin C and Niacinamide.

1 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21151-age-spots
2 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11014-pigmentation-abnormal-pigmentation
3 https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/fade-dark-spots
4 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11014-pigmentation-abnormal-pigmentation
5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2921758/
6 https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/fade-dark-spots
7 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/10980-understanding-the-ingredients-in-skin-care-products
8 https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/fade-dark-spots
9 https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/melasma-causes
10 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11014-pigmentation-abnormal-pigmentation
11 https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/fade-dark-spots
12 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6017965/#sec3-molecules-23-00863title
13 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8401619/