Dark spots: pigment, marks, and telling them apart

Dark spots covers a few different things. Working out which one you have tells you whether to wait, treat or see a dermatologist.

Red or pink marks

Flat red or pink marks left after a spot has healed are caused by dilated blood vessels, not pigment. They usually fade on their own over a few months. Sunscreen and gentle care help; brightening serums do little.

Brown marks after a breakout

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is extra pigment made in response to inflammation. It is more common and longer-lasting on medium and deeper skin tones, and it can take several months to fade.

Sun spots and patches

Spots that appear in sun-exposed areas, or larger symmetrical patches on the cheeks, forehead or upper lip, are driven by UV and sometimes hormones. These respond slowly and come back quickly without sun protection.

What helps pigment

• Broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every day, reapplied when outdoors.
• Brightening actives such as niacinamide, vitamin C, azelaic acid and alpha arbutin.
• Gentle exfoliation a few times a week to help even out tone.
• Not picking — every squeeze adds more inflammation and more pigment.

See a dermatologist for any spot that changes shape, colour or size, bleeds, or looks different from the others.