Can You Really Fade Dark Spots?

So you took a look in the mirror one morning and noticed an unfamiliar brown spot on your skin. You’ve scrubbed your hardest but the dark mark won’t seem to budge. What’s next?

Get the glow-down on minimizing dark spots for good.

Dark spots are one of the most stubborn skin conditions to treat, which is why there are endless dark spot corrector products available that promise to take them out. But, are they all hype, or can they help you get a handle on hyperpigmentation? Let’s explore how to fade dark spots on the face by looking at ingredients that are clinically proven to work.

Resorcinol
Dermatologist and founder Dr. Murad has always kept an eye on the evolution of ingredient technology. Recently, he recognized the next frontier in treatment of dark spots and pigmentation disorders were resorcinols. Over 5 decades of clinical research and an excess of 1000 in-vitro experiments have demonstrated that resorcinols are potent and efficacious—all while being safe for skin. Clinically, ethyl resorcinol, in particular, showed extraordinary efficacy in skin permeability and the ability to improve the appearance of dark spots/uneven skin tone. And, ethyl resorcinol demonstrated efficacy in controlling PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation), a condition that is significantly more prominent in melanin-rich skin tones.

The science and results are why we formulated Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum with patented resorcinol technology (exclusive to Murad) that visibly reduces the intensity of dark spots and uneven skin tone.

Vitamin C
Make vitamin C your main squeeze when taking on dark spots. Dr. Murad says “Vitamin C is an essential antioxidant that works on the skin’s surface to actively prevent visible skin damage like hyperpigmentation, dark spots, dullness and uneven tone.” When determining how to fade dark spots on the face, you’ll have to be selective in picking the right vitamin C product. Why? “Most forms of vitamin C have a short shelf-life, lose potency, or are hard for skin to absorb.” Dr. Murad recommends vitamin C that’s stabilized by gold for enhanced potency and full-strength results. To provide additional protection, ensure you're applying sun protection every morning alongside the vitamin C product. While vitamin C aids in the disappearance of dark spots, sunscreen will prevent sun damage and new sun spots from forming. That’s why we created our sunscreen with vitamin c to maximize results.

Niacinamide
Niacinamide (also known as vitamin B3) is an antioxidant vitamin and an essential nutrient your skin needs. It’s safe for sensitive skin and incredibly effective on dark spots, because it enhances cell turnover to reduce the appearance of dark spots.

Tranexamic acid
Tranexamic acid (TXA) is gaining traction as a treatment for dark spots on the face. It's a bio-engineered amino acid, long known in dermatology for the treatment of pigment disorders. TXA helps target dark spots you see and helps prevent new dark spots from forming as it helps soothe, brighten, and revive dull skin and even tone.

Glycolic Acid
AHA chemical exfoliants like glycolic acid help remove dulling surface skin cells to enhance natural radiance and minimize the visible effects of skin discoloration. They also encourage better penetration and performance of ingredients specifically designed to correct dark spots on any skin tone and skin type. That's why you'll find it in Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum, where 84% of test panelists showed a reduction in the look of dark spots in 14 days.*

SPF
The list of benefits that SPF provides to your skin is never-ending. Now, you can add "dark spot preventer" to the list of benefits SPF provides to skin. When asking how to eliminate dark spots on the face, you should also focus on preventing them in the first place. SPF helps minimize sun damage from sun exposure, which is a known trigger of dark spots. SPF is also essential when treating dark spots. No facial cleanser for dark spots, face mask for dark spots, or potent ingredient for dark spots will yield results if you're not using sun protection to block the sun's dark spot-inducing rays.

An important note to keep in mind is that consistency is key. To see real results, you'll need to stay consistent with the skin care product you're using. It may also take a few weeks to see results, but it doesn't necessarily mean that the product isn't working.

Now that you know how to fade dark spots on the face with the right ingredients (and SPF!), shop clinically-proven treatment solutions at Murad.com.